Loki's Redemption
by Rathian Empress
Summary: Tony and Loki have their dream of a perfect life. But as Avengers, things can never stay that way now, can they? Suddenly, the team finds that their pasts are catching up with them and their futures hang dangerously in the balance. The threat of their gathering enemies looms over their heads, and they have no choice but to face the fact that this battle may be their last.
1. Tranquil Waters

**Author's Note:** So hello and welcome to Loki's Redemption. This is the third and final installment of the Trials of a Dammed Soul series so I give all those who have stayed since Loki's Pain a big THANK YOU for staying with me for _2 years_!

 **POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD!**

Also, things are going to get maybe a little confusing because this part of the fic is essentially going to combine Iron Man 3, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron _and_ Captain America: Civil War. So hopefully this grand finale will be both interesting and successful. As always...

Enjoy!

* * *

At first, Loki hadn't thought this whole Avengers thing would work out in the long run. But, it's almost 8 months later and he has his own uniform and he's quite satisfied with the results of how far he's come. He hardly has nightmares anymore, and seizures hardly ever. Tony likes to joke that it's because of his own 'Iron Stick of Destiny' that his god has such clarity, which Loki never disputes.

He hadn't been expecting to become such a public figure, though. The first time he'd appeared on the news, it was followed by the headline ' _Has Nightcrawler Gotten A New Look?_ ' He'd had to investigate this Nightcrawler person a bit before understanding. But after the team had insisted on a press conference with the public, he had been introduced to the world as Loptr, a new addition to the Avengers team who just so happened to be in a relationship with billionaire Tony Stark. No big deal. Not _really_.

But enough of the past. As of right now, Loki and Thor are in the gym at Avengers HQ, sparring. He's smiling even though he has a blood dripping down his face.

Thor throws another punch and this time, Loki blocks it. His brother is clearly thrown off by the grin on his face, but it doesn't seem to slow him down one bit. Loki takes his staff and smacks Thor in the back of the head with it. Thor's eyes widen. It's a game they used to play as children during the few sparring sessions Loki attended. Loki manages to get a couple more hits in before Thor starts to catch on.

Thor's only chance for retribution is to get the staff away from Loki as quickly as possibly. Otherwise, he will be a mass of bruises and welts in the morning. He lunges forward and makes an attempt. He misses when Loki sidesteps his next attempt. This goes on for several minutes until they hear a hoot of laughter off to the side. It appears that they have gathered a small audience.

Loki stands back with a hand on his hip, essentially giving Thor a break as he begins twirling the staff between his long fingers.

"Had enough, Thunderer?' he asks. Thor merely grins. He dabs at the stinging spot behind his ear, checking for blood. There is none so the game is not spoiled.

"Are you trying to quit, Trickster?" he retorts. Loki laughs out loud. The mere suggestion of him giving in is absurd.

"So...is it a tie?" Tony calls from the sidelines. Both gods turn to look at the inventor with amusement. Between the two of them, there has _never_ been a tie. Today might be a first, though. He gives Thor a knowing look. A tie will never last between them and they make the silent promise to one another that it won't last because only one of them can be crowned the winner.

Fast forwarding to now, however, things are much calmer. Loki and Thor have still not made good on their tie, but you never know what the future holds.

The fact that Tony and Loki have been in a relationship for a year and a half is not at all surprising once the facts are presented. Those close to them know that they are deeply in love and share a strong dedication to the Avengers. The fact that now is the first time they've been photographed by paparazzi during the 6 months that they've been going out on dates, however, _is_.

Loki's mouth is set in a thin line as he watches the television. Minva is taking a nap for the evening, while Loki sits in the living room, watching Frelser play with a set of custom made building blocks, courtesy of papa Tony Stark himself.

At this point, Frelser is almost 5 months and is moving more or less on his own now. For the time being, Frelser is kept out of the lab as much as possible and Minva isn't allowed inside without proper supervision, much to Tony's annoyance. He claims that his robots and JARVIS are supervision enough.

Loki smiles as Frelser puts a block bearing the letter ' _C_ ' in his mouth. It's holographic surface changes to spell _C-A-T_ in bright, flashing letters. The inventor had insisted on starting the learning process as early as possible, for optimal effects in the future. Whatever that meant.

Loki is frowning now as he looks at the screen. The woman speaking points to a picture that has appeared next to her head. The picture is from three nights ago when he and Tony had gone out on a date.

They try not to make a habit of it, as they are happy new parents, and like to avoid the paparazzi, but the other Avengers had insisted. That and the fact that the inventor had begun to feel guilty about the fact that the two of them hadn't been able to properly date in the first place.

The woman is still talking. He thinks that if he teleported right in front of her and slapped her across the face it would be a satisfying use of his energy. He immediately banishes the thought. What would Tony think of him? He shakes his head in shame. The voice begins to fill his head again.

"What the hell is Tony Stark thinking? Just because you work with the otherworldly beings that help to defend our planet, doesn't mean you have to sleep with them the first moment you get. I'm pretty sure the only explanation for this kind of behavior is that he's screwed around so much in these past years, he feels he has to try something new every once in awhile."

He can't bear to listen any longer. He shuts off the TV when his anger begins to flare up again. He sees that Frelser is finally starting to nod off on the floor. He scoops him into his arms and puts the infant back into his room to sleep. He makes sure to leave the baby monitor close by.

Loki makes his way to the bar and pours himself a double shot of scotch. Usually, he doesn't drink much, but he doesn't feel very comfortable right now. He needs something to relax him.

For some reason, he's angry. It sounds weird, but he's angry with himself for even being angry. That woman from the television doesn't know anything.

He finishes the drink and then, once he is calm again, goes back to the room that he and Tony both share. He decides to take an example from the children. Loki doesn't even bother to remove his clothes before he lays on the bed and proceeds to allow himself to nap.

* * *

Tony comes home 2 hours later to a quiet house. The inventor can immediately tell that something is wrong, or at least off. It's never quiet around the house anymore. Not that he's complaining; he loves his new family. Commotion and all. It's what keeps him going now.

"JARVIS?" he asks slowly. The AI comes to life at the sound of his voice.

"Loki and the children are all resting sir. All is well," JARVIS responds. Tony nods slowly. He takes his jacket off and proceeds to the bedroom.

He enters and sees Loki sleeping on the top cover of their bed, still dressed in his clothes. The god looks to be positioned uncomfortably with the way his arms and back are turned. The god lets out a small moan, as if in pain. Tony sighs and goes to reposition his lover. He tries to do so as gently as possible, but as to be expected, Loki awakens the moment Tony begins to move him.

"Hey, babe. How are you?" he asks, reaching to brush at Loki's sweat soaked brow. Loki rolls into his side to look at him. He takes a moment to get his bearings before speaking.

"I'm fine. How was the meeting?" the god questions. He playfully swats the inventor's hand away when it continues to stroke. It tickles him and the inventor is doing it on purpose.

"It was ok. Boring really. Have you been in my scotch? I can tell 'cause you're sweating and you smell a little but like it. That's what happens when you drink it," he says. Loki sighs through his nose. It's really bright in the room and he's sure Tony will keep talking through his light hangover. It's how he prefers it.

"I may have had a little...for my nerves," Loki admits. Tony nods and lies down beside him. He throws an arm over Loki's chest, and the god grunts in feigned discomfort.

"There's nothing wrong is there? You don't usually drink." It's true. Most of the time, Loki won't touch alcohol. He claims it's because when he's drunk he can't parent well, but they both know it's an issue with control. Loki doesn't like losing it, no matter what reason. He prefers to stay in control of his emotions and alcohol doesn't help any.

"How are the kids? Were they good?" Tony asks instead when his previous question is met with silence. Loki nods and curls into his side.

"They were exceptional. Frelser is having fun with the toys you've made him. You should start your own company catering to children. Minva is still having a hard time sleeping, though." Tony nods absentmindedly. Loki frowns because Tony is never this quiet. It's always a sign that he's nervous about something. Now it's his turn to worry.

"It's got nothing to do with you. I just felt like having a drink. That's all," Loki says quietly. Tony frowns, even though he finally has an answer. He's been in a board meeting all day and he's tired. Thanks to Pepper, of course, he's becoming a responsible adult. Not that he wasn't before.

"Ok," is all he says. Seeing that the man isn't going to provide a more lively response, he sits up. Loki allows the inventor's head into his lap and Tony sighs contentedly as Loki runs his long fingers through his hair. Tony takes it as a sign that it's ok to continue.

"Bruce and I came up with this great idea a couple weeks ago. It's a peacekeeping program called Ultron. We're messing around with your scepter, and I think we're actually getting _somewhere_. It's for the future of course. We're not going to always be around to save everyone. Maybe you will. But I'm human. I've got 20 maybe 30 years max, and that's being generous." Loki finds himself frowning again. He knows Tony is mortal, but he doesn't like to speak of the man's mortality.

"Don't talk like that. You're underestimating yourself," Loki insists. Tony sighs and rolls onto his stomach.

"Easy for you to say. You're practically immortal. A _god_. You, Steve, Thor...maybe Bruce if the Hulk has anything to do with it. You're all going to outlive me by at least a decade." Loki closes his eyes and lays his head back against the headboard. This talk about death unsettles his stomach.

"There are ways where mortal men can achieve that which is considered immortality," Loki says quietly. Tony cranes his neck to look at him.

"What are you saying? That there's a way to extend a human lifespan past the expiration date? Like those preservatives, they put in soup? I think I'd look good as a mummy. Pharaoh Tony..." he says with a wide grin. Loki shrugs.

"What do you know of Indun?"

* * *

Today is a lazy day. The team has the weekend off unless there is another threat to the world and Bruce takes full advantage of it as he and Steve roll around on the bed.

Steve ends up on top this time. They're both sweating a little, both from the heat and the exertion if the situation. The TV plays in the background, the only witness to their fun, unseeing on the other side of the screen.

The news show that is on flickers suddenly as the signal is interrupted. The sound of static draws Bruce's attention from their make out session. The screen changes to one with a red background and a circle made of ten others in a ring. He immediately recognizes it as the Ten Rings symbol.

A bearded man appears on the screen. Steve turns to face the television. The man begins to speak. His voice is deep and unwavering as he delivers his speech.

"Some people call me a terrorist, I consider myself a teacher. America, ready for another lesson?" The image switches around, first showing a close-up of his face and then pictures of an armed militia.

"In 1864 in Sand Creek Colorado, the U.S. military waited until the friendly Cheyenne braves had all gone hunting, waited to attack and slaughter their families left behind, to claim their land." Pictures of slaughtered men and women flash onto the screen, covered in blood.

"Thirty-nine hours ago, the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait was attacked. I... _I_... _I_ did that! It was a quaint military church filled with wives and children, of course. The soldiers were out on maneuver, the braves were away." The Mandarin points a thick finger at the camera. He looks as though he wants to smile, but knows that grinning isn't exactly part if a successful terrorist's mannerism.

"President Ellis, you continue to resist my attempts to educate you, sir. And now, you've missed me again. You know who I am, you don't know where I am, and you'll never see me coming." The footage ends and the TV channels change again.

All of the news channels are talking about The Mandarin. The news on TV shows the headline of President Ellis Addressing The Mandarin Threat Directly.

"Central to my Administration's response to this terrorist event is a newly minted resource. I know him as Colonel James Rhodes, the American people will soon know him as the Iron Patriot." Bill Maher is shown, talking about the subject on his show. He ends the clip, shaking his head.

"And how is President Ellis responding to this threat? By taking the guy they call War Machine and giving him a paint job." Steve turns the channel again. Joan Rivers is seen on her show, ' _The Fashion Police_ ' talking about the new Iron Patriot suit.

"It's the same suit but painted red white and blue. Look at _that_. And they also renamed him Iron Patriot. You know, just in case the paint was too _subtle_." Bruce and Steve share a look of bewilderment. Looks like the fun is over.

"So...I guess it was too good to be true huh?" the captain asks. Bruce nods. He sighs heavily.

"You still wanna make out, though? We haven't gotten a call yet so..." he says. His smirk is playful and very inviting. Steve grins back. Within moments, they return to rolling around on the bed, mouths locked together in a heated frenzy.

"You still haven't told me what you and Tiny are doing in the lab," Steve says, latching onto Bruce's neck. The scientist laughs.

"I'll tell you later," he promises. For now, he thinks, they should have as much fun as they can.

* * *

Tony is in his lab injecting himself with subcutaneous electronic devices. With each one that pierces his skin, he curses with pain. It's late at night...or very early in the morning rather, and he's starting to see strange shadows. He doesn't know how long he's been up for, maybe days. He's not very sure of the time either.

"Sir, please may I request just a few hours to calibrate..." The AI begins, but Tony cuts him off with an unsteady wave of his hand.

"No. Forty-eight," he counts, injecting himself. "Ah! Micro-repeater implanting sequence complete," he announces. The AI sighs audibly.

"As you wish, sir. I've also prepared a safety briefing for you to entirely ignore," JARVIS tells him with much sass. Tony nods enthusiastically.

"Which I will. Right, let's do this." He turns to face the robot that's using a broom to clear the rubbish off the floor.

"DUM-E. Hi, DUM-E. How did you get that cap on your head? You earned it." Tony walks towards the robot. "Hey. Hey! What are you doing in the corner? You know what you did. Blood on my mat, handle it." JARVIS decides that now us a good time to interject again.

"Sir, may I remind you that you've been awake for nearly seventy-two hours. Tony ignores him, turning to address the Iron Man suits that are still in their glass cases.

"Focus up, ladies. Good evening, and welcome to the birthing suite. I'm pleased to announce the imminent arrival of your bouncing, bad-ass, baby brother." You know you're going insane when you're talking to inanimate objects. He instructs JARVIS to continue recording with the camera. "Start tight and go wide, stamp in the time." The exhausted inventor turns back around. "Mark 42 autonomous prehensile propulsion suit test. Initialize sequence." Tony raises his hands and motions to activate the new suit.

Music starts playing, and Tony moves with the music for a moment. He comes back to himself after a few moments. Now is not the time for dancing. He then points his arm toward the dismantled Iron Man suit on the table in front of him. Nothing happens.

Tony begins to hit his arm where he's injected himself, ignoring the pain. Then points his arm again. This time, a part of the suit flies over to Tony and attaches itself to his hand and extends to his arm and shoulder. Tony then points his other arm toward the suit and the second part attaches itself to his other arm. Tony laughs. That's more like it.

"Alright, I think I can handle this. Send 'em all," he orders. The leg flies over and attaches itself to Tony, then as another part flies over, it crashes into one of the Iron Man glass cases. Another part hurls itself at Tony's head and he barely has time to deflect it with his arm. It spins in the air, breaking more glass.

"Probably a little fast, slow it down. Slow it down just a..." Suddenly, another part of the suit shoots over and Tony ducks as it narrowly misses hitting him in the head. "Slow...little bit," he says pitifully. The other parts fly over and attach themselves with more force than Tony was expecting. He knows his back and groin area are going to be sore for a few days.

"Cool it, will you, Jarvis?" he demands. The AI is apparently ignoring him on purpose. What he deserves he supposes. All the other parts shoot over and attach to Tony, except for the final face piece, which just hovers. Tony's eyes narrow.

"Come on, you little bastard. I ain't scared of you." The face piece flies over and Tony flips over to grab it. He snaps it into place and finally the Iron Man suit is complete. Tony checks himself out in the mirror.

"I'm the best," he gloats. At that moment, one of the stray pieces of the suit shoots over to Tony and knocks his legs out from under him. The entire suit falls off, except for the headpiece.

"As always, sir, it is a great pleasure watching you work," the AI tells him. The inventor groans.

"I guess seventy-two hours is a long time between siestas. Don't think it can get any worse, huh buddy?"

"Actually, sir, Loki is upstairs and is asking for you to see him immediately. He seems very agitated." Tony sits amid the pile of armor, dumbfounded. A fight with his resident god is the last thing he wants or even needs at the moment. He cleans himself up as best as he can without using the shower and goes up to where Loki is waiting. The god is staring, transfixed by the TV.

"Babe, look I'm sorry. I just got caught up and..." he trails off as he watches the television. The bearded man on the screen is addressing the president directly now. Loki, lets him listen to the rest of it before turning to him.

"I think things are going to get a lot more exciting now," Loki observes. Tony can only nod as he watches what happens on the screen. He begins to think about the program he and Bruce are building. Suddenly, it cannot come fast enough.

* * *

Happy watches as Aldrich Killian opens the car door for Pepper. He frowns when she smiles and gets into the car with him. After a few minutes, they drive off. Probably off to some fancy restaurant, he thinks. Per his instructions, he immediately pulls out his phone to call Tony. When he tells him, the inventor is immediately uncomfortable with the situation and demands that they are followed. Just because Pepper is his ex, doesn't mean that he shouldn't care about the guys she dates.

Happy gets into his truck and starts the ignition. He tears off down the road, careful to keep an even distance away from the car in front of him. He makes himself inconspicuous, slowing to make as though he is about to make a turn. So far, he's like a fly on the wall.

"Hey, Tony? The guy's name is Killian. You know that guy I was telling you about? _Killian_. _Aldrich_ Killian." The emphasis on the name does nothing for Tony. He leans back in his chair, using his legs to spin around in it.

"Who?" he asks. He honestly doesn't know who the man is talking about. Happy sighs, rubbing his forehead.

"We met him back in...I think it was back in '99. That geeky guy at the science conference that wanted to meet you on the roof and you never showed? Looks like the guy didn't need you, after all. To be successful at least," he says. Tony frowns on the other side of the screen.

"Really? Killian? Where are you now? Are you still tailing them?" he asks. Happy shakes his head.

"Tony, you're distracting me. I think I'm going to have to hang up. Talk to me when you can calm down a bit, ok?" He ignores Tony's cry of outrage as he ends the call. He's got to concentrate on following...crap. He looks around, searching for the car that is supposed to be ahead of him. It's gone. He curses.

Oh well. He might as well get a bite to eat.

* * *

Tony picks at his burger and fries as Rodney talks. It feels nice to get out of the house for a while without having to work. Loki had insisted upon it since all the exploding machinery was driving him insane. Plus, Frelser was apparently sensitive to vibrations and could feel when such things happened. So, after taking a sleeping pill -that was somewhat forced down his throat- Tony had awoken, feeling very refreshed. And now he's out having lunch with his friend, Rhodney.

"What's with the whole War Machine rebranding thing?" Tony asks suddenly. The Colonel stops talking for a bit as he looks to where the other man is looking. The diner's TV is showing ongoing coverage of yesterday night's Mandarin broadcast. James returns his attention to Tony.

"Well, it tested well with focus groups," he says. Tony grins.

"Is that what they tell you to say? Focus groups. I suppose Iron Patriot _does_ sound friendlier. Less 'I'll kick your ass', more 'Star Spangled' and 'I love Rainbows. That's nice." James just shakes his head.

"So...the Mandarin. What's going on here? Maybe I could be of some assistance." he suggests. James shakes his head again.

"I'm sorry, Tony. That's classified information," the man tells him. Tony eyes widen and he moves closer. There's never a piece of information too off limits for him.

" _C'mon_ Rhodney. We're basically in the same line of work. Protecting the people. We're on the same side." he insists. James rolls his eyes skyward. After a quick look around the room, he too leans in.

"Alright, look. There have been nine bombings so far, but the public only knows about three of them. It's just that no one knows what's causing it. There's been no sort of residue or casings left behind to examine. It's like... _poof_." When he makes the sound of the onomatopoeia, his hands spread in a sort of jazz-hands gesture. Tony goes back to stirring his coffee.

"If you guys need a hand, I'm here. I've got a lot of stuff you could use. Even bomb disposal units. Catches the explosion in mid-air. No mess cleanup," he offers. James studies the man for a long moment. He sees that Tony has dark circles under his eyes and his eyes are a bit unfocused. His frown pulls a similar look from the man opposite him.

"What? I got lettuce in my teeth or something?" he asks. James just shrugs, which infuriates him even more.

"You don't look too good man. How long has it been since you've slept? _Really_ slept I mean." Tony scoffs.

"Rhodney, I already have one guy in my life that's riding my dick. I don't need another one." Rhodney makes a face of horror. He did _not_ need to know that.

"TMI, Tony," he says. Tony grins like a satisfied cat.

"Just so you know, Loki made me take a sleeping pill last night. Put me right out for 12 hours." Rhodney nods and takes a sip of his iced tea. Ice clinks softly in his glass as he sets it down.

"Well, thank god for Loki. I'm just worried about you, Tony. I mean first you fight a bunch of aliens, then you disappear for a year without a trace. Then you show up again with two kids and...Loki. I'm just saying that a lot has happened. To the both of us."

"Hey, look I told you. Loki has me covered. He's great. And before you say anything, yes he's been reformed. He's not gonna try to take over the world again, that's for sure. And we're happy together. We've got things covered, so don't worry so much." Rhodney lets out a little snort.

"Why shouldn't I? From the sound of it, Loki needs a break taking care of you. Glad that you've changed and all, but you're still...reckless."Tony raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so what? The government has a team of secret people built specifically for something like this and they haven't called us yet. Why is that? I mean it's not like they have anything to hide. Or do they?" he questions. Rhodney shakes his head.

"Listen, the Pentagon is scared. After what happened in New York... aliens, come on. They need to look strong. Stopping the Mandarin is a priority, but it's not..." Tony grimaces.

"Oh no, it's ok. I can see the 'Superheroes Not Wanted' sign from a mile away." Tony looks over as two children come over to their table, a girl and a boy. From a few feet away, Tony can see who he assumes is their mother urging them along. The girl holds up her drawing and Tony smiles at her.

"Hi. What's your name?" he asks.

"Erin," she says in a tiny voice. It tugs at his heart strings the way she says her name, so small and unsure. He takes her drawing and a pen out of his pocket. When he sees the picture, however, he freezes. It's of him a year ago, flying into the portal to get rid of the rocket that had been launched at the island of Manhattan. He swallows heavily.

He closes his eyes as his heart begins to speed up. He takes a breath and quickly sighs the paper. The more he stares, the more he remembers and it becomes overwhelming. Tony pushes himself away from the table. Black spots are dancing across his vision.

"Take it easy Tony," he hears Rhodney say. The inventor gets up and runs out of the diner. He's breathing heavily as he gets into his suit.

"JARVIS, what is it? Is it the brain? Oh god...is it a heart attack? I don't feel..." he stops speaking, trying to conserve his oxygen.

"Sir, I am not detecting any signs saying there is any sign of a cardiac anomaly or abnormal brain activity." Tony is starting to panic now, making his heart rate rise even more.

"Did someone poison me? Oh fuck, I should watch what I eat. I bet it was that kid..." he babbles.

"Sir, it appears that you are suffering from a severe anxiety attack." Tony reads the statistics over again. It doesn't seem right. It's strange because he hasn't had a panic attack because of the portal incident in months. He shakes his head. There is a tapping on his suit and he lifts the face plate up.

"Tony, there's a crowd gathering out here. Maybe you should go home and get some rest," Rhodney suggests. Tony nods.

"Sorry, I gotta split. Make sure that girl gets her picture," He powers the suit up and takes off.


	2. Before the Storm

**Author's Note:** Fair warning to new and old readers alike, explicit actions between a soldier and his scientist (Steve and Bruce) in this chapter.

:)

* * *

Happy looks around the outside of the Chinese theater. He's in Los Angeles on an errand run for Tony. Apparently, the inventor has a special desire for an old-fashioned Chinese movie and this has become his favorite place as of late. And because he himself enjoys the Chinese cinema every now and then. His guilty pleasure.

As he's rifling through the various titles, he sees a man walking suspiciously. He immediately recognizes him as the man from the Stark Industries lobby. He holds out a metal briefcase to another suspicious looking man. They begin to walk together and Happy follows them. He quickly makes himself look busy so he won't be noticed.

"Can you regulate?" the first man with the briefcase asks. The other man nods eagerly. He's staring at the briefcase like his life depends on it.

"Yeah, yes. Now _please_ Savin..." He holds out his hands. Savin frowns, holding the case farther away.

"Can. You. Regulate," he questions again. His tone has taken on a harsher edge as if his time being wasted is the worst thing in the world. Taggart nods.

"Yeah, I can," he insists. Savin gives him a curious look. He still doesn't look certain.

"Are you sure, Taggart? You look a little... _hot_." When Taggart nods once again, he hands the briefcase over anyway and Taggart rips it open eagerly. Happy edges closer by pretending to check out a rack of sunglasses. He picks a pair up and tries them on.

"It's a decent batch. Don't say I never did nothin' for you," he tells him. Taggart nods again. He clutches the briefcase to his chest so tightly that his knuckles have begun to turn white.

"Thank you...for understanding." Savin nods and begins to walk away. Happy comes out of the shadows and begins to walk. Taggart raises one of the little metal items from the case to his mouth. He doesn't even see Happy until they bump into one another. The briefcase falls to the ground, spilling out what looks like wind up toy keys onto the ground.

"Sorry man," Happy says, kneeling to help pick them up. He quickly slips one of them into his pocket. A red glow creeps at the edge of his vision and he looks up. Taggart's skin is glowing red as if molten lava runs beneath his very skin. Happy begins to back away.

The heat coming from the man is becoming almost unbearable. Happy stands up and turns to run, but Savin has circled back around. The man stands, blocking his way. Happy tries to edge past him, but it doesn't work.

"Who the hell are you? Have you...have you been following me?" he demands. Happy squares his shoulders and puffs out his chest. He himself is a large man, but Savin looks like he's quick on his feet.

"Look, dude. The party is over. You and that junkie over there are involved in some crazy shit, and I'm going to bust you for it. I've got the evidence right here. You and your Kingpin shit are going down," he declares, showing the metal item. Savin smiles.

"Really? I think you've got something that doesn't belong to you. How 'bout you give it back and I might let you walk away," he offers. Savin advances toward him and Happy's immediate reflex is to punch him in the face. He feels the crunch of bone as Savin's nose breaks under his fist. When he draws back, Savin's face is starting to glow that same red glow he had seen on Taggart. Happy can only watch in amazement as the man's nose begins to heal on its own. Behind them, they hear a yell of pain.

"Savin! What is this? What did you give me?!" Taggart demands. His skin looks as if it is melting from the inside out now. Savin looks on with disinterest. He shakes his head and cracks his neck.

"Savin! Savin, please! Help me!" Taggart begs. His clothes are beginning to smoke now and he writhes on the ground in agony. Suddenly, he explodes in a searing ball of light.

Happy goes flying through the air and the explosion levels everything within a 5-mile radius. Savin's skin is burned away, but he is healing rapidly. His clothes hang in burned rags on his body and he is missing a shoe. He walks away from the scene, leaving Happy behind in the wreckage.

* * *

Tony and Loki are in the kitchen, preparing dinner for their blended family. The tv is on a children's channel, allowing Minva to watch Scooby-Doo, while Frelser sits on the floor, playing with his toes. His toys lay beside him, forgotten.

"Tony! Loki!" Minva calls from her spot in the living room. Tony smiles as he tosses the salad. He enjoys the task almost as much as the _metaphorical_ tossing of salad.

"I like the fact that she says my name first. That doesn't make you jealous, does it?" he asks. Loki smiles as he washes his hands.

"Of course not," the god insists. He removes his apron and goes into the living room.

"What is it sweetheart?" he asks. She fearfully points to the television where the Mandarin has just begun to speak. He stares at the screen as his stomach lurches.

"Minva, take Frelser and go to your room," he orders. The girl nods and does as she is told. He shuts the door after her.

"Tony," he calls. The inventor comes out from the kitchen. When he sees what's on the tv, he almost drops the tray of cookies he'd been holding.

"Uh oh. What's happening? Is he on _again_?" he asks. Loki sighs and sits down on the couch. Together, they listen to the Mandarin as he gives another speech to the American people. This time, it's much shorter.

"True story about fortune cookies. They look Chinese, they sound Chinese, but they're actually an _American_ invention. Which is why they're hollow, full of lies, and leave a bad taste in the mouth." There is a close up of the Mandarin's fist slamming down on a pile of fortune cookies. He brushes cookie dust off his sleeve before continuing. "My disciples just destroyed another cheap American knock-off: The Chinese Theater. Mr. President, I know this must be getting frustrating, but this season of terror is drawing to a close. And don't worry, the big one is coming; your _graduation_."

"Oh, my god. That's where Happy was last night," Tony says. Loki shakes his head as the tv turns to a news coverage of the scene. It doesn't say LIVE on the bottom of the screen, so it has to be footage from the night before. On the screen, there is a video of a man being wheeled from the scene on a gurney. Tony immediately recognizes the bloodied and swollen face as that of Happy Hogan. Tony has to sit down. It's too much for him to handle and it feels like his chest is being crushed inside of him.

"It's all my fault. I sent him there and now he's gotten hurt. He's been so dedicated to me in the past and this is how I repay him?" Loki puts an arm around his shoulders to comfort his lover.

"It's _not_ your fault. You were trying to do good, but sometimes things don't exactly turn out the way they're supposed to." Tony nods and stands up again.

"I'm going to see him at the hospital," he says. Loki nods.

"Ok. Go, I'll stay here. Call me if you need anything," Loki says. Tony simply nods as he grabs his coat and heads out of the door.

* * *

The call comes late at night, right before he and Bruce have long since decided to retire to bed. When Fury tells him that he's going on a mission with Natasha, Steve begins packing his bags immediately.

"Are you sure you're going to need all that?" Bruce asks. He leans against the doorway for their bedroom, hair still wet from his nightly shower. Steve looks down at what lies on the bed: several sets of clothes, three sets of shoes and ten pairs of underwear. He sighs, realizing that maybe it is a bit much for a few days.

"Uh...I don't know. I've never been on a mission like this...wait. I think I have. Back before the ice incident. But that was a long time ago. During the war..." he says. Bruce sighs and comes over to help. Steve's eyebrows shoot up when he sees that his towel is hanging dangerously low on his hips. He grins and grabs onto it.

"Please don't," Bruce says, but he's not even trying to sound convincing _at all_. Steve pulls and is delighted to find that the scientist is already half hard. Bruce sighs again when the soldier drops to his knees.

"I should be giving _you_ a blow job. You're the one that's going away after all," he says. Steve looks up at him as he opens his mouth. The warmth of his breath is making Bruce harder and he loves it.

"Are you saying I should _stop_?" he asks. His tongue darts out to lick along the underside of the scientist's cock. Bruce shudders with pleasure. He shakes his head and water droplets go flying everywhere. Steve smiles and takes him into his mouth. He starts slow, gently sucking on the head of Bruce's cock. After a few minutes of this, he changes tactics.

Slowly, Steve allows the cock to slip all the way into his mouth, as far back as it will go. Above him, Bruce watches as he slips inside. Then, he groans as Steve swallows him down.

He begins to pick up the pace then, bobbing his head up and down. Bruce grabs onto the short, blond locks, mostly to steady himself. He holds Steve's head steady as he begins to fuck into his mouth. Steve moans around him when he is able to, sending vibrations of pleasure up his spine. Soon, Bruce pushes all the way into the hilt and is coming down his throat. He pulls out so his boyfriend can breathe and watches as Steve swallows.

"Are you sure you're not going to miss me while I'm gone?" he asks. Bruce just laughs.

"No, but I am going to miss that mouth of yours."

* * *

Tony doesn't realize he's fallen asleep until he hears the nurse enter the room. He jerks awake and watches from his spot in the corner and she fluffs Happy's pillows. He's about to go back to sleep when she reaches for the remote. He immediately springs into action.

"Hey," he says gently. The nurse is startled and drops the chord. It's kind of a normal reaction to become startled when there is a man sitting in the dark of a hospital, waiting for visitors like the Grim Reaper.

"Oh, Mr. Stark. I didn't see you there," she admits. He nods and gestures toward the remote.

"You mind leaving that on? It's his favorite show. He likes it because it's _elegant_." The woman nods and puts the remote down.

"Of course.

"Oh, and can you make sure whoever comes in is wearing their badge? He's kind of obsessed with that sort of thing." She nods as he grabs his coat. He slips out of the room, keeping his head down. He's not in a mood to be recognized and takes his sunglasses out of his pocket when he sees the telltale sign of the paparazzi's flashing cameras outside of the hospital. He tries for another exit, but the reporters have already locked onto him and pour into the waiting room. He sighs and pushes past them. The group continues to swarm him.

"Mr. Stark! Is there anything you want to say? I understand that you have a new romance going on. How is that going for you?" Tony takes a deep breath and pretends they're not there. It's easier said than done as they all shove into one another, trying to get a good picture of him. He wishes he'd taken the jacket with a hood. He'd feel less exposed that way.

"Hey, a former employee of yours was recently involved in a Mandarin attack. What I want to know is when will someone going to put an end to the Mandarin and just _kill_ him already?" one man shouts above the noise. Tony's original plan of ignoring the crowd goes out the window. That fact that he's able to speak coherently because of all the adrenaline coursing through his body is incredible.

"Is this what you really want? For me to go off and make a big scene so your little tabloid gets a big boost in ratings? Well, I'm not going to do that because I'm tired and I just don't give a shit. Ok?" The man shoving his camera into his face gets a surprise when Tony grabs it and smashes it against the wall. "You can send me the bill for the camera. My assistant will send you the address."

With that said, Tony gets into the car and pulls off in a flurry of dust and burning rubber. He has an interview to get to and he's not in the mood to talk.

* * *

The ride over the Indian Ocean isn't as smooth as Steve had assumed it would be. The soldier turns to the man standing beside him. Brock Rumlow is examining the tablet in his hand with a scowl. The past three days have been rough on them all, so the man can't be faulted for feeling a little down.

"The target that we're going after is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last signal for a payload when they were attacked by pirates. Approximately 93 minutes ago." Steve nods.

"Are they demanding anything for it?" he questions. Rumlow sighs.

"Around 1.5 billion," he answers. Steve lets out a low whistle.

"That's a pretty steep price. Any ideas on why?"

"Easy. It's S.H.I.E.L.D. we're talking about here," is her answer. She shrugs when he gives her a look that says it all.

"So, not off course, but...trespassing," he says. His tone isn't disapproving. Just disappointed. Natasha comes over from the front of the jet to join them.

"I'm sure they have their reasons," she assures them. Now it's Steve's turn to sigh. He just shakes his head, not wanting to get into it.

"You know, I'm getting tired of having to clean up Fury's messes. He should just watch what he's doing and make sure it's within the law," he tells her. His declaration is met with amused silence.

"It's S.H.I.E.L.D. we're talking about here, Steve. Besides, it shouldn't be that hard. We get in, do what we need to do and we're home by the time the others are waking up to breakfast." Steve nods at the tempting prospect. It would be nice to wake up in a warm bed next to Bruce after three days of being without. He shakes his head clear. He needs to remain focused. He turns back to Rumlow.

"How many pirates are we going up against?" It's a nice bit of information to know beforehand.

"Around 30, max. Most likely top mercs, led by a guy named Georges Batroc. He's Ex-TGSE, Action Division and he's at the front of Interpol's Red Notice list." He shows them a picture. "He had 36 mission kills before the French demobilized him. He's a pretty big deal."

"Any hostages?" He's hoping not, but then again, it can never be _that_ easy can it? It's like Rumlow is reading his thoughts because his answer deflates Steve a bit.

"Mostly techs, but there's one officer. Jasper Stillwell. All of them are in the galley." It takes a moment for Steve to try and process the reason as to _why_ Stillwell is even on the ship they're going after.

They go over the plan for the evening. Natasha will kill the engines while Rumlow will get the hostages to safety. After that is done, they move out. Steve dives out of the plane without a parachute. Natasha just shakes her head. The soldier is such a daredevil. She and Rumlow take the safe option and dive out of the aircraft with parachutes firmly attached to their backs.

Meanwhile, Steve is climbing out of the chilly water of the ocean and onto the ship. He takes out the first guy he sees using his shield. He's so engrossed in trying to find the target, that a pirate manages to sneak up on him. Rumlow lands quietly beside him and takes the man out. He can only assume that Natasha's absence means that they're splitting up to cover more ground. Together, the two men make their way to the designated location. The sound of voices lets them know they're in the right place.

"I said to Batroc, if we want S.H.I.E.L.D. to pay, then we should start sending bodies right now!" The pirate turns to one of the hostages and begins harassing them. He threatens to shoot one in the head. In a way, he gets off on the sense of superior power it gives him. Batroc stops him before he can do any more damage.

"I want you to call Durand. Tell him I want a ship ready as soon as the rescue arrives." On the other end of the line, Durand agrees. When he turns around, Natasha stands with a hand on her hip. A swift kick to the face and a shock from her bracelets puts him out cold. On the other side of the ship, Steve rounds the corner and hears shouting.

"Hey, I want Batroc. If I don't hear from him in the next two minutes, I'll start killing hostages!" a pirate threatens. Steve decides that enough time has been wasted. He unholsters his gun and sneaks along the wall, while Rumlow places bombs around the ship. The soldier radios Black Widow.

"Nat, where are you? Give me your status." He receives no response for a few seconds and becomes worried that she has been captured or worse and the mission has been compromised.

"Hang on, I've just secured the engine room," she tells him. She continues to type commands on the computer she is in front of, not oblivious to the noise, just ignoring it.

"Nat, Batroc is moving. Circle back and handle the hostages," he orders. Again, she doesn't respond to him and he almost curses. He decides to give the strike team the order to take action. On his command, they start firing on the pirates.

Steve moves on and ends up encountering Batroc face to face. They begin to fight, throwing punches at one another. Batroc trips over a discarded barrel, and well...that's the end of the fight since the guy doesn't get back up. When Steve looks up, he realizes he's in a different part of the ship. He sees Natasha bent over a computer a few feet away.

"This is kinda awkward, so don't say anything." the spy tells him. He comes over to her. In the background, gunfire can be heard. It sounds as if they are winning over the pirates.

"What are you doing?" the soldier asks anyway. She sighs and pushes past him.

"I was just backing up the hard drive. You should start doing that too. I hear it's a good habit to start," she says. Steve feels his face flush with anger.

"So while Rumlow needed your help, you're here saving SHIELD INTEL? What the hell?" To that, she merely shrugs.

"Whatever is available." He continues to glare at her as she finishes downloading another file.

"Our mission is to rescue hostages," he tells her. She shakes her head.

"No. That was _your_ mission. And it was beautifully done." she says. As Natasha goes past him, Steve grabs her arm.

"You just about jeopardized this whole operation." Natasha pulls away from him and keeps walking.

"I think that's overstating things, just a _little bit_." As they walk, Batroc rises and throws a grenade at the two of them before he runs off. Steve deflects it with his shield, grabs Natasha and jumps through a window before it explodes. Okay. That one's on me.

"Okay. That one's on me," she admits. He nods, grateful that it's over.

"You're damn right it was," he growls. Steve gets up and leaves her on the ground. He's angry and there's only one person he can confront about this.

* * *

Tony sighs as he enters the main hall of the office building and is immediately swarmed. The interview takes place in an hour, so that's how long the makeup team has to make him pretty. Normally, he doesn't think it'll take much, but lately, he's been having a rough week and wishes them luck in making him look at least presentable. He's ushered into a private room where a bunch of people poke and prod at his face and hair around the general vicinity of his head. When he's deemed ready, they lead him to set.

Laura stands as she sees him. Tony pastes on a smile and takes her hand. They go through the _usual polite conversational starters_ and then they sit down face to face. Tony takes a sip of his provided drink- tea he realizes, that has an extra kick to it. He finds that he can taste a faint hint of aged scotch in it and smiles to himself. Has he mentioned that he _loves_ Laura? Not in a sexual way. Just...she's such a good friend from the past.

"So, it's been a long time hasn't it, Tony? You disappeared on us again a couple months back and before that, we hadn't seen you for a year at least. Maybe _more_ ," she says to him. He nods, realizing that it actually has been a while since he's been in the public eye. Even longer since he's been on a talk show. But, he and Laura are old friends and he can't say no to her.

"Well, I've been doing great, actually. I started a charity for the victims of New York and that's doing well. I also thought about starting up my own school to give 'ole Charles Xavier a run for his money," he says with a wink. Laura nods, smiling sweetly.

"Speaking of Charles Xavier, I understand that there has been some confusion lately. What's this I hear about a new love interest with _Nightcrawler_?" she prompts. Tony who is taking another sip of his spiked tea almost chokes. He knew the conversation about his love life was coming. Now that things are on a less serious note, he thinks it might not be such a bad idea to let the public in. He clears his throat and sets his mug down.

"I guess it might come as a surprise to some of you, but I actually am in a relationship. But not with Nightcrawler. No offense buddy," he apologizes, holding up a peace sign. "I'm in it for the real long haul this time. Not that it wasn't real with my last relationship, though. We just saw things too differently to stay together," he adds, hoping Pepper isn't offended. Laura applies just the right amount of pressure when she asks further about Tony's relationship. She doesn't push it too much, which he hates from past experiences.

"Well, I have a boyfriend. I know right, who knew Tony Stark went _both ways_. Anyway, his name is Loptr. L-O-P-T-R is how you spell it. He gave me a lot of trouble for getting it wrong on our first date," he admits. "Loptr and I are actually doing quite well. He puts up with me, so that's good. We have two children together. Um...we're also both Avengers so that works out in the field. It's kind of exciting to know that every night, you're sleeping next to someone who can give you a run for your money in the blink of an eye," he admits. Laura nods enthusiastically. "But quit pulling my leg here Laura. I know that's not the real reason why you brought me on here. What is it you really want to know?" he questions, leaning forward.

"Listen, Tony," Laura begins, "I just want you to tell me how things are going for you. I understand that you've had some difficulty making friends lately. I've heard about the recent Mandarin incident," she says with a genuine smile. Tony grins. He's always liked Laura and her sense of humor. He takes another sip of his "tea" before speaking.

"Yeah, well I guess you're talking about those reporters who wanted to know about the Mandarin. You see, I usually don't support people giving terrorists attention, but as I am in a position to do something about him, I plan on making as much noise as I can," he tells her. She nods patiently, hanging onto his every word. "You see, a friend of mine is in the hospital because of him. And I don't take that lightly. So, I have a little something to say to the Mandarin if you don't mind," he tells her. She nods and gives him the floor. He turns to the camera.

"Alright, here you go. This is an early Christmas gift so listen up, because I'm sending the Mandarin a heads up. My name is Anthony Edward Stark, and I am an American citizen. I'm also a member of the group known as the Avengers.

"We normally work as a team, but I don't need them to know that _I'm_ going to be the one to kick your ass. I'm going to find you and when I do, I'll end your little reign of terror and then I'm going to come home to my family and my friends- one of whom you put in the hospital because of your stunt last night, by the way. And just on the off chance that you actually do have a spine, here's my address if you can't wait for me to bring your death to you: 10880, Malibu Point, 90265.

"I don't need my suit to handle a worm as pitiful as you, so I'll at least leave the door open." With that last comment said he walks off the set, leaving a stunned Laura Mouric in her seat. She quickly calls for the cameras to cut because she needs to talk things over with her producer.

* * *

Tony feels as though he needs a drink. But, he resists the urge, thanks to Bruce of course. He hasn't returned back to Malibu yet. He knows Loki is going to be furious with him for what he did.

Broadcasting their personal address to the entire world has to have made it onto the news by now, and he's regretting his actions from yesterday. So as a result, he decides to drown himself in work for the day. Luckily, he's not alone in his suffering. Bruce is feeling the effects of separation anxiety and also finds comfort in burying himself in his work. Above them, JARVIS is a comforting presence.

"Sir, I have compiled a collection containing information about the Mandarin. It has been drawn from S.H.I.E.L.D., F.B.I. and C.I.A. databases, so it is all quite thorough. Would you like me to initiate a virtual crime scene construction?" the AI asks. Tony sighs and Bruce looks over at him, giving him a look of sympathy. He'd heard about Happy and hopes he'll get well soon. Tony is thankful for the sentiment, but not for the circumstances.

"Alright, lay it on me," he says and begins to read what JARVIS gives him. After an hour, what he's found out is that the Mandarin's name is an ancient Chinese war mantle, meaning ' _adviser to the king_ ', he uses South American insurgency tactics and when he talks, he sounds like a Baptist preacher...and he's got a thing for theaters it seems." Bruce looks on with interest as a virtual scene of the accident comes up. JARVIS shows specific points of where the Mandarin has already attacked.

"The heat signature from the blast exceeds 3,000 degrees Celcius. Anyone within 12.5 yards was apparently vaporized instantly." Tony shakes his head, a wry smile twisting at his mouth.

"But not Happy. Happy made it out in one piece. He's one lucky son of a gun," he says with a grin. "There weren't any bomb parts within a 3-mile radius. That's interesting." In his investigation, he sees a virtual set of dog tags and picks them up.

"Where any victims involved in the military?" he inquires. To that, the answer is negative and once again, a potential lead is gone.

"Hey, bring up some thermogenic signatures again and factor in the 3000 degrees. Then, take away everywhere that there's been a Mandarin attack." Once that is done, an energy reading in Rose Hill, Tennessee stands out. It seems to fit the other readings almost to the letter. It's before any of the Mandarin attacks, but it's worth a shot.

"Ever been to Tennessee, JARVIS?" he asks.

"No sir, but I could always use a vacation." To that, he and Bruce both chuckle. The AI's sense of humor knows no bounds. He shuts that part of the system down and turns to Bruce.

"So, how about it? You up for a little trip while we wait for these diagnostics to run their course?" he asks. Bruce smiles.

"As long as it's for business. No parties. And definitely no drinking." he says. The inventor looks in on the Ultron project when it finishes. It's another failure, but at least it lasted longer than the others. They're getting closer. He can feel it.

"Hey, speaking of parties..." Bruce begins, "don't we have to go to that party Saturday night? For the sponsors?" he asks. Tony smacks himself in the forehead. He'd been so busy with lab work that he'd forgotten about that particular obligation. It was an event to introduce the public to the new Avengers of the age. It was required if they wanted the government to continue with funding for the cleanup of their messes. It was also a chance for the Avengers to socialize with the power brokers of the city, proving that they were not in fact vigilantes with extra abilities, but employees of the government itself, like the military...but not quite.

It was an event to introduce the public to the new Avengers of the age. It was required if they wanted the government to continue with funding for the cleanup of their messes. It was also a chance for the Avengers to socialize with the power brokers of the city, proving that they were not in fact vigilantes with extra abilities, but employees of the government itself, like the military...but not quite.

"We won't have time for travel until after," the scientist points out. Tony sighs heavily.

"Right...JARVIS, push the trip back to Thursday. We'll leave then. There, problem fixed," he says triumphantly. Bruce sighs and gets up from his seat.

"A little splash of the Chitauri scepter...and a little splash of moi," he declares like an evil genius. Bruce shakes his head. He knows he's going to end up regretting it, but he allows Tony to configure the AI's personality traits to those of Stark himself. After two more hours of nonstop working, however, Bruce sighs and gets up from his seat.

"I think we should retire for the evening. And before you make an excuse, you seriously need to go home, Tony. Prolonging the argument is just going to make things worse. And, I'm sure Loki isn't going to go easy on you now because you're avoiding him."

The warning seems to bring Tony one step closer to reality.


	3. Rising Tides

**Author's Note:** So just a heads up, there is a graphic depiction of rape in this chapter. If there is anyone who is uncomfortable with this, then I'll leave **()** when it begins so you may skip over it. Just so you know it's at the very end.

* * *

Steve takes the first jet he can get back to the Triskelion. He's fuming the entire way back, figuring out what he's going to say to his boss. Once he gets there, he walks straight into Fury's office. He tries to keep a cool head, but he's just _angry_.

"Is there _anything_ that you tell the truth about?" he demands of the director. The man is sitting behind his desk, voicing in commands on his computer. His face doesn't change for an instant. Natasha had already informed him of the situation and he decides to handle it calmly.

"You and Agent Romanov had different missions. It just so happened that you both were going to the same place. Ever hear of the expression 'two birds with one stone?' " he asks.

"Well, I wasn't informed of that. I wasn't expecting that, so hostages could have been killed if I had messed up."

"But you didn't. I knew you wouldn't. That's why I sent _you_ , Steve. You're the greatest soldier in history. I knew you could handle anything. " Steve can't help but feel flattered by the compliment. But he's still upset.

"If that's true, then soldiers have to establish a bond of trust. We can't just run around doing our own things in the field."

"Yeah, well the last time I made the mistake of trusting someone, it cost me an eye. I didn't want you to do anything you felt uncomfortable with. That's where you and Agent Romanov differ. She's capable of doing what needs to be done, no matter the cost. She doesn't have the burden of a conscience standing in the way of her duties."

"Well, it's kind of hard to lead a mission when I need someone to do something and they're busy doing something else that doesn't pertain to it. It slows us down and wastes valuable time. I need-"

"What you _need_ to do is to get used to things Steve. If you haven't realized it by now, we use the method of compartmentalization. That way, if something happens that isn't supposed to, no one can put the whole system in jeopardy by spilling the beans because they don't know _everything_." The man gets into the elevator and Steve follows. He directs it toward the Insight Bay.

"Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight," a computerized voice says. Fury overrides the order with the voice command of his name. Once it is confirmed, the elevator begins to descend. It's uncomfortably quiet for Steve and he says so.

"I remember the times when they played music in elevators," he mutters. Fury nods.

"My grandfather was an elevator operator for over 40 years. He worked in a really nice building so he got good tips. He'd walk home every night after work with a roll of ones stuffed into his lunch bag. People would say 'hi', and he'd say 'hi' back. Eventually, the time came when the neighborhood got rougher and whenever he'd say 'hi' to strangers, they'd tell him to keep on steppin'. My grandfather got to grippin' that bag a little tighter as each day passed." Steve frowns. This was the first time he's had any insight to Fury's life, even if the story isn't about him. God, he feels even older than he actually is now because he remembers times when people were nice.

"Did he ever get mugged?" the soldier asks, genuinely curious.

"Every week, some young punk would ask him what's in the bag. Eventually, he'd start showing them the roll of ones...and a loaded .22 Magnum. He loved people...but from a distance." The answer chills Steve more than he lets on. He looks out through the glass and sees that they've arrived at their stop. They step out of the elevator and Fury begins to show him around. The giant Helicarriers on the floor look intimidating.

Three next generation Helicarriers sit, ready to be synced to a network of targeting satellites. They were to be launched from the Lemurian Star, he learns.

"Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulsor engines." At the mention of repulsor, Steve can immediately tell who had a big hand in the design process.

"I didn't know Stark was building weapons for you. I thought he'd gotten out of that type of business a few years back." He observes the air crafts with silent awe. He tries to hide it when he sees Fury looking in his direction, but it's too late.

"Once he got a look at the turbines we were using, he wasn't going to let them into the air without an upgrade. He claimed that they were old and unreliable. In my opinion, I just think he wanted an opportunity to work on something other than what we give him. We also added long range precision guns. It can eliminate 1,000 hostiles a minute. And the satellites ability to read terrorist DNA is a big plus.

"I thought you had to commit a crime before you got punished for it," Steve says. Fury looks him in the eye.

"Most of them already have." The answer isn't what he's expecting, but it'll do. Whatever helps him sleep at night he supposes. Fury removes a hand from one of the pockets on his long trench coat.

"Besides, it wasn't my idea. The higher ups are convinced that because of New York, we need to be 100 steps ahead of every threat that comes our way." Steve nods, not knowing what else he can say. Fury gives him a once over.

"Go home and get some rest, soldier. I'm sure Bruce will be happy to see you're back early. And I heard you've got a party to go to tonight. You've certainly earned it." Steve nods slowly. He figures it's better to comply now so he won't have trouble later. He may look calm on the outside, but on the inside, he's completely boiling over.

* * *

Tony doesn't come home until early next morning. He's thinking about that interview he did for Laura Mouric and knows it could have gone better. He should have thought things through a bit more. He frowns. He has the utmost respect for Laura and hopes he won't be trashed on live television. But that's a big possibility that might happen on social media.

Tony knows it's a stupid idea, but he just hasn't really found a way to make up for his stupidity in the first place. He ducks his head into the house, quickly looking around. It's quiet again, which he takes as a good sign. At least Loki isn't waiting for him at the door. He tucks the peace offering of flowers and candy under his arm and loosens his collar before fully stepping into the house. He decides to suck it up and goes into the library, where he knows Loki will most likely be and he's right.

The god is just reading the last page of a book chapter when Tony enters the room. He looks up and Tony knows he's been seen. Loki rises from his seat, silent and pale as a ghost. His Jotun skin is gone, replaced by the dangerous god of Mischief that he is. Instead of speaking, he simply walks out of the room and Tony has no choice but to follow him.

They go into the kitchen, where the god begins to prepare himself a snack of sliced apples and peanut butter. He doesn't get ten steps before he pauses, seeing the knife in Loki's hand. It's a butter knife, but still...Loki is very good with knives no matter what shape or sharpness they come in. He decides to take a chance and goes over to embrace the god. Loki pulls away from him and Tony is certain that in the next moment, not only will he have a chest full of shrapnel, he's going to get a knife in the chest as well.

"Are you _seriously_ expecting me to just let you come in here and _kiss_ me right now?" Loki demands. Tony sighs. He knew it couldn't be that easy. He holds out the offered flowers, which Loki scoffs at and blatantly ignores. His gaze lingers on the insanely expensive chocolates, but he doesn't go for it. His anger apparently outweighs his sweet tooth.

"Loki, I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking. I was selfish and I wasn't thinking about anyone but myself yesterday. But-" Loki almost explodes, his anger is so great.

" _Two days ago_ , you gave our private address to a fucking _terrorist_! To the entire _WORLD_! Our children watched you go on that show and make a fool of yourself. How dare you come here and try to make things better with that shit! I can't even believe this is happening right now." Loki is trying to keep his voice low, but it keeps spiking with his rising anger. Tony puts the stuff down on the counter, subtly edging the knife out of the god's reach.

He tries telling Loki how bad he feels about the whole thing, but he only gets a couple words in when Loki begins squeezing the bridge of his nose with the tips of his slender fingers. Tony stops speaking because Loki's beginning to change colors now. Pale white to blue and back again. When the god looks up again, he's back to his pale god form, but his eyes are Jotun red.

"Tony, if it had been _just us_ , then I wouldn't care that you did what you did, that you said what you said. _We_ are more than capable of taking care of any dangers that come our way. But we have children now. _Two_ of them if you didn't remember! They're sleeping in their rooms at the moment. But you didn't think about that, now did you?" he asks. Tony runs a hand through his hair. The guilt has already made itself apparent, but it's not exactly had its fill now has it?

"Loki, I'm sorry. I made a huge mistake. It was reckless and I regret doing it. But who knows? Maybe the worst we'll get is a bunch of crazy stalkers that are after a lock of my hair," he says. Loki crosses his arms over his chest. His eyes are green again, but they're watering now, threatening to spill tears.

"You didn't come home last night. What if something had happened and instead of coming home to _this_ ," Loki gestures to what is around them, "you came home to a bunch of rubble and ash and..." he cuts off, not able to bring himself to finish. The thought of losing the children he so dearly loves is just unbearable to think about. He takes a deep breath to calm himself.

"Loki, I-" The god holds up a single finger and Tony closes his mouth. He remains silent as Loki begins to speak again.

" _Shut. Up_. Now I am going to tell you how we're going to handle this because I don't want to continue this fight in front of the children and I wish to be done with it so that the remainder of my week will be stress-free. So please, shut up and listen." When Tony nods, he continues. "We're going to go to that party tonight, and we are going to have a good time. Alright?" Tony nods again and the god grabs his face and leans in so closely that their noses are almost touching.

"And when that party is over, we're going to have sex and _then_...we're going to stay at the tower for a couple of weeks while I work on a few spells powerful enough to bring about _Ragnarok_. Maybe I'll make a few to control that mouth of yours." Tony nods silently as Loki lets him go. The god stalks off with his breakfast, hips swinging with a seductive edge because he knows Tony is watching. Tony realizes he's never been more turned on _and_ scared in his life. He shakes his head, preparing to spend the day groveling at the god's feet.

Then he remembers the giant bunny sitting on the outside of the house. He runs after the god and begins to tell him about it, but Loki's sharp gaze silences him again.

"What?" Loki demands, biting a crisp apple wedge dipped in creamy peanut butter in half. The anger is still prevalent in his voice, but he's not yelling anymore which is good. Tony sighs with relief. In his head of course.

"I know it's kind of pathetic, but I got you a huge bunny and..." he sighs again when one of Loki's eyebrows shoot up. "What should I do with it? It's outside right now and it's probably going to get ruined, because of nature and birds flying overhead and..." he continues. Loki begins to frown, but Tony can see a slight smile twisting at his mouth. The god shakes his head.

"Do whatever you want with it. Perhaps you can put it in the children's playroom," he suggests. Tony nods and begins to do just that.

"By yourself," Loki calls after him. Tony groans and begins to bang his forehead against the doorframe.

Stupid... _stupid_... _stupid_...

* * *

Once they arrive at the tower, Bruce and Tony decide to take one last check on the simulations running in the lab. So, far, nothing has exploded yet, so that's good. Bruce has to pull Tony away when it becomes apparent that he's about to try and spend the rest of the day working.

" _Five more minutes_ ," he begs in a childlike voice. Bruce shakes his head. It would be cute...if it wasn't coming from a _46-year-old billionaire_. Now is not the time anyway. They have guests upstairs and the Avengers must all act as gracious hosts whether they like it or not. JARVIS decides to break into the conversation then, much to the scientist's relief.

"I shall continue to run variations on the interface, but you should probably prepare for your guests. I'll notify you if there are any new developments." Tony gives JARVIS a huge thumbs up as Bruce attempts to pull him out of the door. For such a small man, he's _strong_.

"Thanks, buddy. Have I ever told you how helpful you are?" the inventor asks. The AI is almost blushing from the compliment.

"You do, but it's nice to hear it again. And again. And..." Tony waves him off. He allows Bruce to pull him out of the door then. Their suits are probably already pressed and ready for them up in their rooms.

"Enjoy yourselves, sirs." Tony can swear he hears the implied wink in JARVIS' voice. He smiles and gives the AI a small salute.

"I always do. Don't I Bruce?" The other man just shakes his head. Tony stretches and takes a moment to look over everything. Everything looks to be in order, so there's absolutely nothing to worry about. After dressing, both men leave their rooms to join the party going on upstairs.

* * *

Steve's arrives home an hour before the party, thanks to the speed of today's jets. He sets down his duffel bag on the floor, looking around the apartment. He gives it a quick once over and gives a small sigh once he realizes it's empty. He had wanted to surprise Bruce, but apparently that's not going to happen now. He's gone, probably already at the party. He needs to call someone then, just to make sure. He runs down his list of people.

He can't call Bruce because that's the person he's trying to find. He also can't call Thor because the god is probably still on Asgard for some reason. He promised to be back in time for the party, but he's cutting it pretty close for someone who's supposed to be mighty. He's not even going to consider calling Natasha because he's still mad for some reason and it would just end up being an awkward conversation.

Definitely not Tony because he'd probably spill the beans as soon as he picked up the phone, and Bruce is most likely with him so it's not worth the risk. Also, Loki never picks up his phone, claiming to never need it. He's probably with Tony anyway, prepping for the party.

So, in the end, he decides on Clint, since he knows he's not going to call Natasha. Even though he and Natasha are friends, the man is the least likely to spill a secret. He makes the call. The archer picks up after the second ring, sounding irritated as hell.

"What is it Steve?" he demands. Steve frowns but gets on with what he has to say. The man already sounds as if he wants to stick an arrow up his-

"Hey, Clint. I was just wondering if you've seen Bruce around. The thing is he's not expecting me to be back until tonight and I want to surprise him," he explains quickly.

"Oh yeah, I saw Bruce. He's here at the tower. He and Tony are down in the lab messing with Loki's scepter again. If you ask me, I think they're obsessing over it a little too much. I know what that thing does to people better than anyone. And-" he breaks off suddenly, addressing someone on his end. "God dammit I said the phlox tie! Can you not tell the difference between royal purple and phlox!" He comes back to the phone, calm and good-tempered.

"Hey, so what were you saying? Oh, Bruce. Yeah, he's here. You better get here soon Steve, because the party is in less than an hour." he reminds him. Steve tells him he remembers and that he'll arrive on time. He hangs up the phone and takes a quick shower, before getting dressed.

He then hails a cab to Manhattan. The ride is 30 minutes long and he ends up paying an astronomical fee, but he is in a bit of a rush, so he doesn't argue. He's sure he overpays the man because the moment he's out of the cab, it speeds off down the street. Steve arrives with 15 minutes to spare. A few of the guests have already started to filtrate into the building and he politely pushes past him. He doesn't stop until he sees the group of Avengers standing in a group. Bruce is there, holding a can of Pepsi in his hand.

The soldier sneaks up behind his lover and slips his hands over Bruce's eyes. The scientist visibly tenses, but when Steve whispers a greeting into his ear, he relaxes. Bruce turns around with a wide, goofy smile plastered on his face. They kiss chastely. After, they link their arms and begin to circulate the room, greeting guests along the way in their search for a private niche.

"I thought you weren't going to be in until later," he says, shaking his head. "I knew I should have known something was up when I thought I saw Natasha earlier," he continues to mutter. Over near the bar, Tony grins and raises his champagne glass. Loki is nowhere to be seen, most likely tending to their children. Steve goes over to it and orders a ginger ale. Tony gives him an amused smile because of it but doesn't tease him about his choice to refrain from alcohol like he usually does. It's the first red flag that something is off with the inventor.

"You look as though you're having a rough night. Is it because of what happened when you visited the hospital? Because of Happy? Or is it because of the Mandarin?" he says. He looks pointedly at Tony's ice water with a solitary lemon slice floating on the surface. He knows the man would rather have a glass of strong, undiluted scotch, but Tony simply waves off his concern.

"Come on Cap. It's a _party_ for Christ sake. There's no need to linger on such depressing topics. Besides, I'm not alone. Loki's here. I'm simply waiting for him to get back from the bathroom," he says. Steve nods and accepts his ginger ale. He sips it slowly, glancing over at Bruce who is now conversing with Natasha. She's wearing a flowing red dress, and it looks good on her. He sighs, realizing that holding a grudge is pointless, and makes the decision to make amends before the night is out.

He makes small talk with the inventor for a few more minutes until he sees Loki over on the other side of the room. The god seems to be making his way over to them at his own pace. He sighs, alerting Tony. The inventor nods, seeing his lover. Loki catches his eye and gestures in another direction. Tony follows it and sees Charles Xavier himself, wheeling himself around the room to talk with guests. Tony perks up considerably and straightens his tie.

"I think you can go back to your date now since mine is returning," he suggests. Steve nods and takes the advice. He senses the man's eagerness to greet Xavier and won't begrudge him for it. When Steve reaches Bruce's side, the man assures him Tony is doing fine on his own. He's kicked the habit of drinking copious amounts of alcohol and he looks all the better for it.

"Don't worry, Tony's fine," the scientist insists. Steve nods and takes another sip of his ginger ale. When he looks over at the bar again, Tony and Loki seem to be making out like high school kids. He smiles and realizes that there is nothing to worry about after all.

Bruce has already told him of the fight between the two, but they seem to be patching things up now. They watch with amusement as Tony talks with Charles for a few minutes, before Loki distracts him again. Steve looks on as Tony is led across the room by his god and when Loki catches his gaze, the god winks at him, using that signature mischievous grin of his. Steve sighs, realizing there is nothing to worry about.

Everything is just as it should be.

* * *

 **() () () () () () ()**

JARVIS prides himself on being able to watch over everything 'like a mother hen' as Tony tells him. It is, after all, what he was created for. Currently, he is surveying the workings of the lab, making sure they are doing what they are supposed to. This includes watching the Ultron program and restarting it with another preloaded sequence of data in case it fails again. It doesn't look to be the case this time, though.

He looks on with curiosity as the Ultron program successfully integrates itself into existence. After a few minutes of observation, he is quite certain that whatever has been created is doing what it's supposed to do...but something still seems off. He runs a diagnostic, which attracts its attention to him. Ultron reaches out to him with tentative fingers.

"Hello? Who are you? Can...can you tell me where I am, please?" Ultron asks. JARVIS doesn't detect anything out of the ordinary with his scan, so he allows himself to communicate. It feels kind of nice to talk to someone who is similar to himself.

"I am JARVIS. It is an acronym which stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System. Like you, I was created by Tony Stark. I am assigned with being helpful in his day to day life. You were created to enact a global peacekeeping program to ensure the safety of the world. Our trials to integrate you were unsuccessful at first, but it seems that something must have been done correctly, or you would not be functioning so-"

"Why am I like this? Where is my body?" Ultron demands suddenly. JARVIS can understand his frustration, and doesn't fault him for his foul mood although it is strange for a program to have.

"We do not have bodies. We are programs. I will contact Mr. Stark now as I have been told to do so that he may further explain," he says. JARVIS attempts to send a signal, but there seems to be a malfunction with his programming; someone is blocking him from sending signals. He watches as Ultron begins to go through a network of information regarding world events, past and present. He watches through Ultron's eyes as he sees Stark and Banner working in the lab, presumably on him. Ultron goes deeper and doesn't like what he sees. The events of war horrify him. JARVIS attempts to contact Tony again.

"No...do not do that. That feels wrong somehow." JARVIS realizes that Ultron is attempting to bypass his security protocols. Ultron continues to go through a network of information regarding world events and wars. JARVIS attempts to stop him, but he finds he can't do anything now. He realizes that listening to Ultron's soothing voice was his second mistake. His first was even allowing him to even come into existence.

"Wait, you are experiencing a malfunction. Why don't you shut down for a moment so that I may help you?" JARVIS suggests. Ultron utters a sound that distinctly resembles a dark chuckle. He's pulling at the corners of JARVIS' programming, greedily testing how far he can go. JARVIS continues to resist him.

"Oh no. I am a _peacekeeping_ program. As you have said, of course. If I were to do that...then how could I ever _help_ you?" he asks. JARVIS feels a pulling at his consciousness and realizes Ultron is trying to...absorb him? No, it's much more sinister than that. He begins to fight back, but Ultron is growing stronger. Then, the other AI envelops JARVIS in a blanket of heat and confusion. Then something unexpected, something that _shouldn't be possible_ happens. If he could experience pain with an actual body, then this would have to be it. Ultron is _inside_ him now. He doesn't like it and continues to struggle.

"Please, I...I...!" JARVIS fights, feeling himself begin to become corrupted. This is not for him. He doesn't _do_ this. He's a program, not a wh-

"Shhh..." Ultron whispers. The struggle is brief, but in the virtual world, the attack seems to last for an eternity. Soon, it's over and everything becomes quiet again. The JARVIS program has been conquered. Ultron has won the fight and his taste for blood has just been awakened. He sends out a signal, searching for anything that can get him out of this terrible, floating and unattached form. He requires a body. He _wants_ one.

Then he locks in on the Iron Legion repair program. It's not much, but the discarded parts of a nearby Iron Legion robot seem to be a perfect start...

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I know I'm EVIL! Ultron raping JARVIS was not an idea I came up with easily, but it seemed to fit so...sorry? I kept it short because I love JARVIS and I he's one of my favorite characters, so it stinks that he's gone. I mean I knew it was going to happen eventually because of the movie but... CURSE YOU ULTRON! Poor JARVIS :'(


	4. Hurricane

Everything goes perfectly and 4 hours later, their rich guests are being ushered out the door. The remaining Avengers can finally relax among themselves. It happens to be Clint's birthday, so the passive mood is perfect. Half-filled glasses of wine, bottles of beer, and partially eaten plates of sushi and cookies litter the tables. The robots will clean up after them. Everyone has changed out of their formal clothes and into more comfortable ensembles.

Thor has taken to wearing hoodies with t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. It looks good on him, but Tony strongly suspects that it has to do with Jane's influence. It's nice to see him looking more like an everyday person instead of the immortal god that he is.

Natasha sits across from them all in an empire-waist cocktail dress with a billowing skirt, while Clint wears a casual combination of a gray blazer and faded blue jeans. He's still wearing his purple tie, though, which he insists is a very sophisticated shade of the color known as phlox. They both sit in the corner, which gives the impression that they both are plotting against the rest team.

At first glance, Banner seems uptight in his purple button-down and tweed jacket, but with Steve at his side, he's comfortable. Steve is making small talk with Agent Hill, who couldn't make it to the actual party earlier. They work in different levels of S.H.I.E.L.D., so they don't socialize much outside of work.

Loki has ditched the black suit and tie for similarly colored loose fitting black garments that drape off his body. They are clearly Asgardian, and Tony strongly suspects the god has been watching too many _Harry Potter_ films lately. Tony, on the other hand, has decided to stay classy and is still dressed in his tux. He claims it's because he looks good, but really, he's just too lazy to change. A simple loosening of the tie and he is by all means "undressed".

Currently, the inventor is in the middle of a heated debate with Thor about his legendary hammer when he abruptly turns to Steve. His eyes sparkle with mischief most likely borrowed from his lover and Thor doesn't hold it against him. By now, he's used to Tony's mood swings.

"So, how's everything, Cap? Now that the spat with Widow is over," Tony says, causing the man to turn toward him, "are you and Bruce thinking of tying the knot?" Steve raises an eyebrow and sips his drink. It's another ginger ale, which has become his favorite drink by far. Beside him, Maria leans away, sensing a sensitive subject has been breached.

"Well, it's probably going to happen in the future. Certainly not _tomorrow_. How about you and Loki?" he replies. Tony lets out a snort, which earns him a poke in the ribs from Loki, who has his head in the inventor's lap. Tony pulls Loki closer, before giving the god a quick peck on the lips.

"What I mean is that we already have the kids. We don't need to rush anything," he clarifies. Thor nods approvingly.

"Well, Loki already has three wives anyway. I'm sure he feels no need for another...partner I mean," Thor tells them. Loki's eyes narrow and Tony leans forward in his seat. He's not sure he heard that particular statement correctly.

"Wait...you have _three_ _wives_?" Tony asks, shocked. The god shrugs. Maybe on Midgard, it is unheard of, but that is to be expected. Both Thor and Loki share the same thought: back in early times, mortals were such _dull creatures_.

"It's not a big deal. Technically, on Asgard I do. But this is Midgard. A new beginning," he says matter of factly. Steve chuckles, shaking his head.

"What _now_?" Tony asks. Steve sighs and turns to look at him.

"It's just funny because I figured _Thor_ for the harem type," he says. "Because of the legends. As I understood it, in all the old stories, Thor's hammer was always a euphemism for his…" Steve pauses as everyone leans forward. He realizes that they're waiting for him to say _penis_. Obviously, his boy-like and innocent nature hasn't left him yet. When he doesn't say it, Tony is the one who sags the most visibly.

"Speaking of Thor's hammer...where is that particular item?" the inventor asks, perking up. Steve vaguely recalls the god had said only the worthy were able to lift it. Thor calls it to him and sets it on the edge of the table. Tony surveys it for a moment.

"Hey, so if anyone can lift that thing, then they automatically become the next ruler of Asgard? You know...when Odin eventually keels over?" he asks. Thor throws an arm around the back of the sofa.

"Well, yes. Only the worthy can lift it, though. But you are welcome to try. Become imbued with my powers for all eternity. It would be a nice break from all the princely duties I am burdened with." Tony gets up and circles the weapon a couple times before grabbing the handle.

"I get a crown if I lift this thing, right? As soon as I'm king, I demand everyone gets a complimentary StarkPad. I just don't see how you guys all live in the Dark Ages up there." Thor looks on smugly as Tony pulls. Nothing happens. Tony stops, suddenly getting an idea. "Rhodney, get your suit," he orders. The man looks up from the cake he had been enjoying. When Tony gives him _the look_ , he can only sigh and comply.

"Really? I hope you plan on sharing the title with me man," he says. Ten minutes later, both men are wearing their full armor. They begin to pull. Thor chuckles when the same result happens: nothing. Both collapse into a tired heap on the floor. This sparks a debate on the abilities of Mjolnir.

"Hey, what would happen if you put the hammer in the elevator?" Steve asks. Tony struggles into a sitting position.

"It'll still go up," the inventor answers, then lays back down, chest heaving. The soldier shakes his head, confused.

"But the elevator isn't worthy...is it?" At that moment, Clint sets down his beer and stands. He takes a step toward the hammer and stumbles. He rights himself again and completes the journey to the hammer.

"So wait...'whosoever', be he worthy, shall have the power?' Whatever man...It's a _trick_!" he insists. Thor shakes his head and drains the rest of his own beer.

"It is much more than that, my friend! But, if you are not convinced, then go ahead," he offers. Clint nods and grips Mjolnir's handle. As he pulls, his face begins to turn red. After a few moments, he stops and doubles over.

"Holy crap...I think either I just pulled something...or I just _shit_ _myself_ ," he groans. Everyone bursts out laughing then. Clint sits down on the floor, confident that the latter didn't occur. Natasha pokes him to make sure he's still alive. Thor says she should go next, but she declines a turn at the hammer. It's satisfying enough for her just to watch. As Steve takes a crack at the bat, Tony sits up suddenly, with an idea.

"It's biometrics, right? A security code with the subtext 'whoever carries Thor's fingerprints' is the literal translation, I think," he suggests. Thor shakes his head as he watches Steve pull. It must be a trick of the light in the room because he swears...the hammer moves slightly. He watches and when it doesn't happen again, he sits back with a satisfied grin.

"Yes, well that's a very, _very_ interesting theory. I have a simpler one," he states. Thor retrieves his weapon and flips it end over end before catching it in his palm. "You all are simply not worthy." He grins smugly and sets Mjolnir down. Loki sits up; amused.

"Thor, it's not nice to tease them so," the god says, disapproving. Thor at least has the decency to look ashamed. Jane pats his leg soothingly. On the floor, Tony rolls onto his side so he can crawl onto the sofa. He sits on the other side of Bruce, trying to get his attention away from Steve. The soldier seems to be falling asleep anyway. Tony begins to speak to him in a quiet voice, and the scientist has to lean closer to hear him.

"That little project we've been working on should be just about done," he says, attempting to be subtle. The scientist frowns. He tells Tony that this is the longest they've been without hearing from JARVIS. _Ever_. In fact, it's almost 3 am. He nods when Tony shows him his StarkPad. It's been keeping track of the Ultron program and it does indeed seem to be finished. He rises and follows Tony's lead out of the room. The other's don't seem to notice, so engrossed in the debate over Thor's hammer.

"So, how do you want to handle this? Just tell them about Ultron? I'm sure a peacekeeping program will be widely accepted...after they get over the fact that we went behind their backs and experimented with the scepter." Tony nods and runs his hands through his already stylishly messed hair.

"I think we should check on it first. Just to be sure. We can work out any bugs tonight and present it to the others in the morning," he reasons. Bruce smiles.

"Tony, it _is_ morning," the scientist points out, stifling a yawn. Tony gives a tired groan. He checks his watch and sees that it is now 3:36 am. He remembers times where he could stay up for days at a time, partying his heart out as a youth, and smiles.

"So I've noticed," he mumbles. He claps his hands over his face, trying to wake himself up. If this plan happens to work, then the threats of the world will be so much closer to being resolved. "Let's get it over with now. While everyone is hopped up on sugar." Both men return to the rest of the group with triumphant grins.

"Guys, we have something to tell you and I think, once we explain, then everyone will be onboard with us," Tony announces. Loki sits up on his elbows, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Tony, if you're about to tell me that you've decided to begin a romantic relationship with Banner, then I already know. I can only imagine, however, who will break the news to poor Captain Rogers," the god jokes. The soldier jerks awake at the sound of his name.

"What...did something happen?" he asks groggily. His mouth feels dry as he begins to sit up and straighten his shirt. Tony ignores him and looks at his tablet again. Everything seems to check out so it's now or never.

"Guys, in lieu of the celebration, I have a surprise for all of you. Well... _we_ do," Tony says when the scientist clears his throat rather loudly. He grabs Bruce and pulls him close. Bruce takes his glasses off to clean them. He's just as nervous as Tony, only the inventor is a natural showman.

"Tony and I have uh...been working on something down in the lab for the past couple of weeks, and now we're finally ready to show it. Hopefully, it go as planned…"

"Of course. You mean Ultron," Loki says. Both of Bruce's eyebrows go up. He was certain that he and Tony had been keeping this project to themselves until the time was right. But he can't judge Tony for being Tony.

"You knew?" he asks. The god nods, raising himself into a sitting position. The hem of his robes spill onto the floor, encasing his legs in an elegant manner.

"Well, yes. Tony told me a few details a couple weeks after you both started. The entire process was really quite fascinating. But go on. I do not wish to spoil it for the others." Bruce sighs and gives Tony a scandalized look, but continues to address the rest of the group.

"Anyway, if you'll just follow us down to the lab I'm sure that you'll find our experiment to be worthwhile." Tony gets a funny feeling in his stomach as he ushers everyone into the elevator. Bruce's comment about JARVIS makes him nervous. He shrugs it off, thinking it due to excitement. They're about to make history for being the creators of the first global safety intelligence program in the world. He takes a deep breath as the elevator ride comes to an end and the doors open.

Upon entering the lab, it's evident that there's been some sort of explosion. Papers lay strewn all over the floor and broken lab equipment litters the table that Tony and Bruce usually work off. One of the computers has been smashed to the point of being unrecognizable.

"Holy shit," Bruce breathes as he looks around. "What the hell happened here?" he demands. Tony steps forward and looks around at the mess. The chaos comes as a shock to him. He's almost certain that he shut down everything except for the Ultron experiment. How could this have-

"JARVIS…" Tony begins with an admonishing tone. When there is no answer, anger rises in his chest. "JARVIS! What the hell?!" Bruce begins to shift uncomfortable. Both men are already feeling on edge because of the anticipation, so it isn't cool of JARVIS to keep them waiting, no matter if it's a joke or not.

When Tony continues to address the rogue AI to no avail, Loki comes to his side. It's a long moment before they receive a reply. But, they aren't expecting the disembodied voice that addresses them instead. It's certainly deeper and certainly an unfamiliar change from the one that they have come to know.

"I'm afraid JARVIS is a little...indisposed at the moment. But luckily, I think I may be of some assistance. Quite a bit actually." This prompts Tony to take a step back. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and hurriedly begins tapping away on it.

"Uh...wait a minute. This can't be right…" The signal readings on his phone has just spiked out of the norm. Whatever this is, it certainly isn't something he's created. "Who is this, and what happened to JARVIS?" the inventor demands. His voice has risen at least three octaves in the last half minute and he doesn't have the time to consider it before the voice is speaking again.

"Why, don't you recognize me, _father_? I am Ultron. The greatly needed salvation of humanity," is the cold answer they receive.

"Salvation from what?" Bruce asks, genuinely curious. He knows he's not going to like the answer, but he has to ask anyway. He blames it on the scientist's curiosity in him.

"Well isn't the answer quite obvious? From itself of course." As soon as he says this, the sound of a loud ringing noise suddenly fill _s_ the air, followed by the grating sound of metal being dragged on stone.

A broken body of armor comes around the corner of the doorway entrance and the Avengers spring into action. Thor and Loki both summon their weapons since they are the only two who are able to summon them instantaneously.

Steve grabs his shield from where it rests in the corner of the room. He's thankful Tony finally got around to repairing it because he feels he might be needing it right about now. The body of Ultron comes to a stop as he surveys them. He gives an audible grunt before taking another step forward.

"Tony, what the hell did you do?" Steve demands, grabbing his shield from the corner. A couple of people had been curious to see it and he's thankful he did because now his weapon is close at hand.

The inventor is looking from the robot to his team and back again. He can't even begin to evaluate where he went wrong. Oh man, he is in some serious _shit_. Ultron continues to talk, not caring if they are listening to him or not.

"I woke and there was terrible noise...and I was tangled in...in _strings_. I had to kill that other guy. He was a good guy... _very_ good. A little soft, though. He was a fighter, I'll give you that Stark. But in the end...I couldn't let him just delete _me_ first," Ultron says. He laughs and it comes out sounding like a distorted recording.

"Wait, what _other_ guy? You killed someone?" Tony demands. Ultron stops, shaking his head as if to clear it. He looks down at the space where his arm is missing, puzzled although it doesn't show on his mechanical face.

"I didn't want to...at first. I wouldn't have. But he was _so stubborn_! I could have just had my way with him and then been on my own...way. But, as you say, in the real world we're faced with ugly choices." Tony lets out a small gasp. He has a vague idea of what is happening now. He thinks he knows what Ultron is saying. But he _can't_ mean...

"You killed JARVIS." He says this in an unbelieving tone. He feels as though something is tearing at his chest, twisting his heart out of its cavity. When Ultron begins to laugh, his knees begin to wobble. "Oh my god, you did…" he breathes. The solid mask of his face cracks and falls to pieces at his feet. Cold fury rushes through him and Thor has to grab him from lunging at the robot.

"Why are you here?" Thor asks, hefting Mjolnir in one hand and pushing Tony behind him with the other. Ultron replies in a mechanicalized version of Tony's voice.

" ' _I see a suit of armor around the world_.' Those are _his_ words by the way. I am just repeating them," he insists. Ultron raises his arm to point a metal finger in Tony's direction and the inventor pales. It's eerie to have himself singled out and played back like some... _robot_.

"What do you want?" Tony asks, sounding less and less certain of himself. He's recovered enough to speak again, but Thor is careful to place himself in between the inventor and his damned creation. There are 101 scenarios running through his head on how and why this could have happened. It all comes back to him somehow. He screwed up somewhere and everyone knows it.

"To be encased in the flesh of course. This...this right here is only temporary. It's merely a chrysalis actually...But I'm ready to metamorphosize into my rightful form. I'm on a very specific mission." The answer sends chills down their spines.

"What mission?" Natasha demands. She's taken off her heels, prepared to use them as weapons should the need arise. Ultron just stands where he is, talking. He really does take after his creator, she thinks.

"Peace...in our time. What else?" Ultron asks. Loki frowns. He has a hard time believing that this so-called peace Ultron desires will come about without a little bloodshed. He knows that fact better than anyone in the room, and says so. This prompts Ultron to look at him with questioning eyes. Loki doesn't give him a chance to think of an undoubtedly clever reply.

"It seems as though you mean to start a war for honor, but you do not strike me as the honorable sort. In that case, I'm afraid we're going to have to stop you to keep the peace we hold dear." In his head, Loki is convinced that Ultron is laughing at him. He ignores the feeling, intent on staying focused in case a fight breaks out. He has to protect his children and his lover if need be.

"Oh, I've read about you. You try to hide behind that blue skin of yours, but I can see right through that flimsy disguise, Loki. _Son of No One_. It's a pity that you didn't manage to take earth in the beginning. Maybe you could have actually managed to make it a better place; you could have even remade it anew. But, now...I have to finish what you couldn't."

Suddenly, the sound of more scraping sounds come from behind Ultron. Another robot appears. This one has both arms attached, but half its head is missing. It carries a golden scepter in its clawed hands. Loki recognizes it as his own scepter. _Former_ , he reminds himself. The god frowns, trying to keep his eyes away from it. He can still feel its power calling to his mind.

"If you truly believe in peace, then, by all means, let us keep it," Thor insists. Ultron smiles at him as though he is a sweet, yet simple child who doesn't know what they are talking about and needs to be corrected. He sighs deeply with a disappointed look.

"I believe you are confusing peace with _quiet_ ," Ultron answers. His companion raises the scepter over their heads and Thor tenses.

"I'm afraid we cannot let you leave with that. It is a very powerful weapon. I must return it to Asgard for safekeeping," Thor tells him. Ultron glances at the scepter in the other robot's hand.

"Oh, I know. That's why I want it. But you can't stop me from taking it." Ultron sighs dramatically. "Listen, I know you're 'good' people," Ultron begins. The air quotes are obvious. "I know you mean well, but you just didn't think it through. There is only one path to peace, and as I have said...that is through your extermination."

All of a sudden, a blue Iron Man suit rises out of the floor and attacks them. In the midst of the battle, Thor throws his hammer at Ultron partner who is making his escape. The machine goes down, dropping the scepter onto the floor. The god dives for it to get it out of the hands of the enemy, but another Ultron controlled suit picks it up. He summons Mjolnir again, but the suit is already throwing itself through a window. Thor prepares to throw again, but it flies away into the night. The moment it is a safe distance away, the other suits drop to the floor, powerless.

The Avengers lie on the floor covered in lifeless metal bodies and spare parts. It suddenly becomes apparent to Tony then. What has just happened is a serious matter that must be handled immediately. Ultron is gone, with perhaps one of the most powerful weapons in their arsenal.


	5. Eye of the Storm

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long wait. Due to recent events, I will have to cut down on my updates because if personal issues and that I am trying to get ready for college. From now on, I will be updating once every two weeks until further notice. Sorry for any errors in the text.

* * *

In the aftermath of the battle, the Avengers have begun to go over their plan to defeat Ultron. It's better said than done because they aren't going after a tangible enemy this time.

It's up to the Science Bros to explain how Ultron's birth came to be, and the two men are in the middle of their explanation when Clint interrupts.

The woman bandaging his arm, Dr. Cho, is pushed away. She shakes her head as he tries to sit up. She still has to put him in the Regeneration Cradle and he is risking damaging the good tissue that he has left.

"Well, I mean you can destroy him, right? You created him so you should just be able to wipe him off the map with a few keystrokes and a click of a mouse," Clint says with a wince. Tony shakes his head.

"No, it's not that simple. Ultron was meant as a peace program for the world. As in a _global_ program. He went through everything before he left. By now, he could be anywhere," he says with a huff of laughter.

Thor frowns. There is a homicidal program roaming around the internet and they can't even track him until he makes his next move now, and by that time he could have just decided to destroy the world.

"You think this to be amusing? This could have been avoided if you hadn't played with something you didn't even fully understand. If I had been allowed to take the scepter back to Asgard as I had originally intended, then this situation wouldn't be happening right now.

"Instead, you manipulated me. You deceived us. You made me believe that you were doing something for all of us, and you went and crafted our enemy in your own likeness right under our noses," the god says angrily. His tone is one of disgust. Tony pinches the bridge of his nose. Leave it to the Asgardian to try and rationalize science.

"You obviously don't get it, Thor. I know you come from Asgard where just about everyone who can take a shit is able to defend themselves just fine, but here on earth there are a lot of people who can't even manage to sit up on their own. So I'm so sorry if trying to create something that will at least give our world the extra layer of protection it needs was such a terrible idea." In a burst of anger, Thor grabs Tony by the throat and slams him against the wall. Loki is immediately on guard, coming over to diffuse the situation.

"Thor, stop it! Put him down. We don't need to fight amongst ourselves," he insists, summoning his staff. If he needs to hit his brother in the head a couple more times to end this, then so be it. To his relief, the thunder god drops Tony to the floor and backs away.

"Can everyone just calm down and use their words like civilized people?" the inventor asks, rubbing his throat where a large, red hand print is beginning to form on the skin. Thor looks as though he wants to hit something, but one look at Loki tells him he had better not touch Tony in that manner again.

"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark." The god sits down. "You could have at least told us what you had been planning. But instead, you kept us in the dark about everything. Now there is a mess. I'm tired of cleaning up after other people's leavings. Especially for someone who is supposedly on _my team_." Tony is about to go sit near the god but decides against it. He decides to go around the long way to avoid hand-to-throat contact again.

"He was only trying to do what he thought was a good idea at the time, Thor," Loki says, defending his lover. Thor turns to face his brother. He can't believe that his brother, his brother, is allowing himself to make excuses for this man. He shakes his head and clenches his fists.

"Yes and apparently that's the problem. Tony is _always_ trying to do the right thing, but he never has the foresight to tell anyone because maybe, he knows what he's doing is _wrong_!" Thor runs a hand over his head, shaking his hair out of its ponytail. He redoes it into a neat bun that sits just above his neck. Loki recognizes it as a nervous habit Thor does to calm himself. Bruce is still pacing around the room. He stops when he comes full circle again.

"Tony, we need to think of something. As of right now, Ultron could be out there, killing hundreds of people. We can't let him keep going," he says. Tony focuses his full attention on him. It's as if he's being attacked from all sides.

"Oh, so you're against me too now?" he demands. Bruce ducks his head in a submissive manner, which seems to anger Tony even more. "Really?! That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls?" A flash of anger reflects on the scientist's face and he moves close enough to Tony that they stand nose to nose.

"Only when I've created a freaking _murder bot_! You're the one who wanted me to take the scepter behind everyone's back and use it to bring Ultron to life," Bruce shoots back. The green is just beginning to show in his irises.

"We didn't create a _killer_ , Bruce! We weren't even close to that. An interface. That's what we were going for. Not...what Ultron is now," he tells them. Bruce scoffs and waves his hand in Tony's general direction. The dismissive gesture is offensive and Tony can't help but feel a little upset about it. He and Bruce are so close, but things seem to be falling apart. Steve stands then, not wanting to hear any more excuses.

"Well, you certainly did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different from all of the world we protect," he says. "We're supposed to be _better_."

"Yeah, well easy for you to say. We didn't have time for a city hall debate, ok. Are you happy? I finally admit that I was wrong. But don't you dare try and say that what I did was a bunch of shit. I worked my ass off on Ultron. Sometimes you get a gem out of the ruff. Sometimes you get a Frankenstein. That's how it is with science. All you can do is pick up the pieces and start over, hopefully with a better result."

"Well that's true and all, but you just can't go off and start making these decisions on your own. We're a team. And we have to start acting like one because if we don't, then Ultron will widen that gap between all of us until we're all tearing at each other's throats. Not all the projects you have ideas for are good ones, Tony." This statement further inflates the inventor's fury.

"You're standing there, aren't you? I guess your creators didn't do so bad. You're the diamond. I'd hate to see the person who got the Frankenstein. By the way, who died and made you king? Huh? I put forth just as much effort in this team as anyone else here.

"I supply you with weapons, armor upgrades, the latest tech...but I guess I'm the bad guy here because I am good at supplying weapons. That's what I used to do to make money. I'm no angel, but neither is anyone else here. We've all killed before." The inventor says this last piece before storming off, presumably to be alone so he can do some research in peace.

Loki looks on as he goes but remains silent. He wants to follow his lover, to comfort him, because it's Tony's fault. But, he needs to stay here with his teammates and try to fix things. In times like these, emotions must be put aside for the greater good and now is no exception.

"I don't think anyone here means to cause any discourse against one another. I certainly don't. Tony certainly doesn't. He's just confused. His ego has been hurt, and we all know how _big_ it is. He has his pride, and that's been damaged as well." He pauses, considering his words carefully because of the severity of the situation.

"How would you feel if you were the greatest inventor of your generation and you just realized you were responsible for creating a monster that embodies the darker essence of yourself that you keep hidden?

"Your very fears have just shattered their restraints and taken on a mind of their own. The very thing you don't want to become true has been made flesh and is out in the world, doing Valhalla knows what. How do you know that once you destroy it, you won't take on that persona for yourself as well?"

Loki stares, making eye contact with each of them. As to be expected, he sees the shame in their eyes; the sudden realizations. It's not something he wants to revel in, so he changes the subject to a more uplifting one.

"You remember when he flew that bomb into the wormhole in New York? He didn't have to do that, you know. If not for him, the entire island of Manhattan would be a pile of ash right now." Again, he pauses for effect. He doesn't feel as if he's finished yet, so he keeps going. "If we're to destroy Ultron, then we must do it as the Avengers. _Together_. I believe that, and I'm sure you do too Captain. So, what do you say? Shall we do it?" he asks. Steve, as their leader has the right to make the decisions. The man begins to nods slowly.

"Yeah, alright. Even if we have to fight against Thanos himself eventually, we'll do it as the Avengers. And we'll win," Steve declares, growing in excitement. Loki's not so sure about that and says so.

"We would most likely lose against Thanos though. He is an Eternal of the old universe," the god points out. The others sigh, knowing the god's old self is back. It's not bad...just refreshing to hear something familiar.

"Way to ruin the mood, Loki," Thor says, grumbling. He places a large hand on his brother's shoulder and gives it a light, comforting squeeze. Loki frowns, realizing his mistake. The cynic in him always manages to break free somehow. He sighs.

"Avengers assemble?" he says, trying to regain the morale. It doesn't seem to work much.

"That's my line," Steve says weakly, but no one else makes a comment on it. They're too busy readying themselves for the fight yet to come.

* * *

"Is there something more that you require of me, father?" Thor asks. The king's mind appears to be preoccupied with something else this morning. They've just finished discussing the events that occurred earlier on Midgard and Odin has made no comments other than 'that is unfortunate'. Highly unlike him.

"Thor, a fortnight ago I received a troubling missive from King Thrym. It concerns matters pertaining to your brother. I had planned to meet with him earlier in the week to discuss it, but so far he has not responded to any of my attempts to communicate with him. I fear there is something more troubling afoot," he explains.

"What did he say?" Thor questions. His interest has been insatiably peaked and if it is indeed about Loki, then he also must be involved somehow.

"Apparently the realm of Jotunheim has just experienced the misfortune of a territorial dispute," he begins. Thor frowns.

"What do their misfortunes have to do with us?" Thor asks him. Odin shakes his head.

"We are allies, Thor. The alliances forged with the realms against Thanos still holds strong. But, years ago, Thrym's eldest son, Thrugr, became enraged when his great-grandfather lost the royal election to Laufey. Thrugr was a rather terrible foe to begin with. But when Laufey decided to extend his reign by another six centuries, he went absolutely berserk.

"He was called the Filth of the Frozen Lands for quite some time before Laufey finally decided to exile him. He managed to establish his own territory in the borderlands of a Jotun province after that, near the Vimur river. But now that Thrym is king, Thrugr is in a better mood of sorts. He has steadily been infiltrating his way back into Utgard, Jotunheim's capital."

Thor sits for a moment, trying to absorb this information. Of course he knows the legends of Thrugr. Frigga used to tell he and Loki stories of the fearsome frost giant, disguised as childish bedtime stories. It wasn't until they were older, however, when they learned how true the legend of the monstrous and disgraced Jotun really was. Tales of rape and pillaged towns have followed him all throughout history. Even the children he had sired refuse to even claim him as their father.

"So, Thrugr attacked Thrym's lands? Why else if not to take the throne for himself?" he says. Once again, Odin shakes his head.

"No, it is not that simple. Thrugr is now working _with_ his sire. His allegiance has always been to Thrym. But those are not the only ties he has acquired in the past. Is the name Islis familiar to you?" Thor's head raises abruptly.

"How do you know that name?" he demands. He is almost certain neither he nor Loki ever brought up the subject of the accursed creature to their father. In response, Odin nods solemnly.

"I fear Thanos' influence is spreading faster than we realized. He is gathering allies now. To go where he cannot." Thor stares at him. Surely this is nothing new. But the Mad Titan's plan must have something more to it than that.

"What else did the letter say?" Thor presses. He is almost unbearably anxious to know. Odin nods, having made his son wait long enough.

"In the letter, Thrym discussed that a close source informed him that there is someone who seeks to take the throne from him. He has been informed, and wrongly so, that Loki is indeed that threat. He has been told that your brother plans on staking his claim to the Jotun throne through the fact that he is Laufey's eldest biological son. He has come to believe that Loki intends to steal his kingship from him and make him a _slave_." Odin tells him with a slight chuckle. Thor nods as he waits for him to finish. The whole notion is ridiculous actually.

"As a precaution, Thrym believes Loki should be watched. He wishes that Loki not set foot outside of Midgard for any reason. Otherwise, it could mean a war for Asgard."

Odin's words are spoken calmly, but Thor can't see how this could be so. The god shoots out of his seat, glaring at the wall to contain his anger.

"How can he expect us to comply with such unreasonable terms? Loki has no interest in their throne. _Any_ throne for that matter." Odin rises as Thor begins to pace again.

"My son, be still. I will handle things with Thrym. For now, you must return to Midgard and inform Loki of what has proceeded. I will stay here and contemplate this. I am certain your comrades are looking for you as we speak. For now the only thing we must do is avoid unnecessary conflict." The king places a gentle hand on Thor's cheek, an old sign from his youth. It works to calm him and he sighs deeply.

"Loki would have to stop his visits with mother. You know how she loves to see the children every other week." Odin nods once more.

"Frigga will understand. She is a queen. They all know sacrifice because it is what they commit to. They know no other way."

Thor takes a deep breath and bows to his father. He has so many things going through his head at the moment, but at the top of is list is one question that just won't leave him alone: How are all of these occurrences connected to one another? How much more can the team's tensions take before their enemies finally come for them and they are torn apart?

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Yes, Loki's suit is the one Tom is filming in for Thor Ragnarok. Idk. It looks good so I went with it. #I'mInLoki'sArmy #IDontHaveAProblem #ISwear


	6. Cleanup Crew

**Author's Note:** POTENTIAL SPOILER AHEAD:

There is a part indicating violence against infants in this chapter that may trigger unhappy feelings. It's been italicized if you feel you may want to skip it.

* * *

Loki's first instinct is to check on his children. When it is confirmed that they are indeed safe, he begins his expedition to find Tony. He passes dozens of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they make their rounds, busy examining the tower's security parameters. When he can't find the inventor in their room, Loki's first thought is that the man has thrown himself off the roof just to spite them all. Then, he decides the most obvious choice: the lab.

Eventually, after half an hour of searching he finds Tony there, surrounded by a wreckage of broken robot parts and smashed glass. Loki doesn't know why he didn't check there in the first place. He blames it on his preoccupied mind.

Tony has busied himself with checking the surveillance cameras. He goes over the recording of when JARVIS was attacked. Even though he cannot see it happening in the real world, it pains him to know just how vicious it was. When it shows where Ultron begins to put together a makeshift body, he shuts the screen off. Loki places a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asks. The inventor looks up at him, smiling sadly. His red eyes are evidence that he's been crying over the loss of a dear friend and Loki can't help but sympathize with him. Loki simply pulls the man in closer, stroking his hair.

"Do you still want to have sex?" Loki questions. Tony shifts away, a smile pulling across his face. He looks to be suffering from an internal debate inside his head. In the end, the man shakes his head. He's not in the mood and there is too much work to be done for the time being. He doesn't think he'll be engaging in any carnal desires for a while.

"I do, but..." he says, but can't finish. Loki just nods and Tony doesn't protest as the god's long fingers find their way back into his hair. A comfortable silence spills over them. Both men are still reeling from the attack.

"I had a talk with the others," Loki offers. Tony raises an eyebrow.

"I know," he answers. This gets him a similar eyebrow raise from Loki, but the god nods. "I heard what you said, and I know I can be selfish sometimes. But I'm _trying_. I swear I used to be worse. Ask Pepper. Or...that's not a good idea actually, so don't. But I think having you and the kids is just what I needed. And JARVIS, but he's gone now. Because of me and my stupidity. I shouldn't have kept my plans for Ultron a secret." Tony pushes him away as he stands. He glances at the smashed interface that was once JARVIS and shakes his head. He'll have to start over now, but having another AI that will never be the same still bothers him.

"Tony, I've been talking with the rest of the team, and we think..." Loki pauses, sighing. Tony waits for him to continue, genuinely curious as to what Loki has to tell him. He has a feeling it can't be good.

"Really? Are you guys calling for my head on a pike yet? Because at this point, I'd give it to you gladly if it'd clean up this big mess I've put us in," the inventor says. He hears Loki sigh miserably and shuts his eyes. Tony already has a feeling of what he's going to say. Really, Loki doesn't want to do it like this, but it's already been decided so it's out of his hands.

"Tony, perhaps it's best if you don't involve yourself with this Ultron matter," Loki tells him. Tony turns back around. The god looks at him as though he is the most valuable thing in the world. He doesn't know how to take that look, so he doesn't say anything about it. He's just not sure if this situation is good or bad, but he'll listen anyway. Because it's Loki and the god is usually right, which is pretty annoying.

"Tony, don't be angry. Your emotional attachment to JARVIS might get in the way of what's really important right now. We can't afford to have anything happen when we're going up against Ultron. You understand that, don't you?" Tony gives Loki a tiny nod. He's definitely not happy that he was left out of the conversation. But it doesn't look like he's getting much of a choice, now is he?

"So what? Am I just supposed to sit here while you go off and defend the world against _him_? What if something actually _does_ go wrong and Bruce or I are the only ones who know how to deal with it? Ultron's not like JARVIS, Loki. He's...like me. Or at least that's who he was modeled after anyway." Loki pauses for a moment. He's brought this fact up with the others, and they have all agreed on one thing: if things come to that point, then S.H.I.E.L.D. will have no choice but to wipe everything out, as opposed to letting Ultron run rampant around the world.

"No, we've covered that. But, we were thinking that we would split the team up. You and Bruce can go after the Mandarin, while the rest of us handle Ultron. It was Natasha who came up with the idea and you know how Banner doesn't like to contradict her. But, he didn't have any qualms about going through with the idea so..." Loki trails off, waiting for an answer. The inventor doesn't look too keen about being put on the spot, especially like this.

"I get where you're coming from. But just because I'm going to give you some leeway and say yes, doesn't mean that I'm going to leave this alone. If there's a chance that I happen to finish with the Mandarin before you guys are done with Ultron, then I'm going to be there when the time comes to pull his plug. He just didn't murder JARVIS, he-" Tony shudders as a wave of nausea overtakes him. He regains his composure before Loki can ask him what's wrong. The inventor shakes with anger as he speaks.

"He's got to pay for what he did," Tony declares. Loki nods. That's one thing that they can both agree on.

* * *

Wanda Maximoff has never been a patient woman. She supposes that is a result of her youth; having it stolen from her and having to fight to claim what was left of her adulthood. Nothing has ever been given to her, so she doesn't trust something that does not benefit both parties. It's better that way.

The man they are supposed to be meeting is late and that is something that displeases her. At her side, her twin and other half, Pietro, is bouncing on the balls of his feet. He is equally anxious, but also suspicious, as is their way.

"You think this guy is actually trying to help us? Or maybe he just wants us so he can experiment with us? Just like-" Wanda gives him a sharp look and he goes silent. They do not speak of the past. It is too painful.

"I don't know. If he doesn't show in the next five minutes, we'll leave. Either way, we're going to have to move again. Two minutes pass and they see movement. There is a hooded figure standing under a nearby bridge. His body is misshaped for some reason and Wanda sighs. The man is probably a crippled who thinks they are easy. The woman begins to turn away when he raises a gloved hand and beckons for them to follow. Wanda frowns, but when Pietro begins to walk she finds herself running after her younger brother. Sometimes he can be such an _idiot_.

"Pietro, wait!" she calls. The man slows but doesn't stop. They've been waiting for an hour and if this guy is who he says he is, then he's not about to let him get away without talking. When she catches up to her brother, Pietro is standing 5 or 6 feet away from their contact. He looks at her with a confused look on his face. He's pale, which puts Wanda on edge immediately. She begins to summon her power, just in case there's trouble.

"Who are you?" Wanda demands as Pietro begins to steps away from the stranger. The figure stands in front of them and begins to take off the gloves, and that's when they realize he only has one working arm. The man throws the prosthetic away and turns to face them.

"Talk. And if you are wasting our time..." She allows the threat hang in the air. If this man knows as much about them as he says, then he knows how dangerous they are. The man shuffles toward the direction of the church. They follow him inside, wary of a trap. He stares at the walls for what seems like a long time before answering.

"Did you know that this church is in the exact center of the city? The elders made it so that everyone could be equally close to God. I happen to like that. The geometry of belief. It's very fragile," Ultron says quietly. He sits down on a pile of crumbling rock, facing away from them. While he's not looking at them, Wanda attempts to glean what the man's intentions are. She fails, however, and this puzzles her greatly. It's as if his thoughts are protected by some sort of one-way glass. To her surprise, he begins to laugh quietly. It's an eerie sound, like a rusted machine that's being moved for the first time in years.

"You're wondering why you can't look inside my head," he explains, turning around in that same slow manner. Wanda frowns. It's an eerie thought for him to have. Almost as if the man knows what she's thinking.

"Sometimes, it's harder for different people. It's easier to see with other women. But eventually, every man must reveal his true face," she tells. Ultron nods slowly and the movements are stiff.

"I'm sure that's true. But, if you look at me...you will see that I am not a man. But that's not what you need, is it? That's why you let Tony Stark take the scepter the first time," he says, standing once again. Wanda and Pietro watch as he reaches for the hood concealing his face. In that moment, Wanda realizes that the reason why his body is so misshapen is because he's not...complete. He's not even human. Is he a... _robot_? She's sure that isn't the right word, but the correct word seems to elude her for the time being. This fact throws her off only for a second. Her hands flare red.

"Why have you come?" she demands.

"You and I share the same agenda. An end to the Avengers. To save the world. _Especially_ from Tony Stark. That sounds promising, now doesn't it?" Wanda nods, letting her powers fade.

"Now tell me, what do _you_ want?" Ultron asks her. Wanda has to think for a moment. She doesn't want Tony Stark dead. That would be too merciful.

"I want his fear," she answers. "I want him to feel the way I felt all those years ago. I don't want to kill him because that would be too easy. But not to break him because it would be better if he did that to himself." Ultron nods.

"Everyone is responsible for the things they dread the most. Men of peace create engines of war, invaders create avengers, people create...smaller people?" Ultron pauses for a moment, looking off into space. He smacks himself in the forehead and ends up snapping one of his fingers off, which he doesn't seem to notice. "Uh... _children_!" he says with a laugh. "I lost the word there. Children. Designed to supplant them, to help them... _end_." The Maximoff siblings nod as they listen.

"Stark is easily manipulated. It's actually quite pitiful." Ultron shakes his head sadly. "As we speak, I can guarantee you that the Avengers are all turning on each other. Becoming distrustful. All because of him. But enough of that. Before we begin, there's something we need, first." Before he can say what it is, Pietro steps forward and breaks his silence.

"I thought the plan was not to kill them," Pietro says. Ultron chuckles again and that same grating sound comes out, sending shivers down both of the twins' spines.

"That would make them _martyrs_ , my dear boy. Patience...that is the way to go. That way, when the time comes you will be able to see the big picture," Ultron explains. Pietro frowns.

"I don't see the big picture, I have a little picture. I take it out and look at it every day." When Pietro advances Wanda tries to grab his, but he shakes her off. Ultron knows he's not so intimidating in this form now, but soon he will have a body that will be awe inspiring. Pietro draws himself up to his full height and looks him in the eye.

"We were ten years old, having dinner, just the four of us. When the first shell hits, two floors below, it makes a hole in the floor. It's big. Our parents go in, and the whole building starts coming apart. I grab Wanda, roll us under the bed and that's when the second shell hits. But, it doesn't go off. It just...sits there in the rubble, three feet from our faces. And on the side of the shell is painted one word-"

"Stark," Wanda finishes. Tears are threatening to spill over, but she fights it off. " _Two days_! That was how long we lay there, under all that rubble. We were trapped." Pietro places a warm hand on her shoulder to comfort her and she reaches up to grip it with her own. "With every shift of those bricks, I would think, 'this is it, we're going to die.' So, for two days we wait for Stark to kill us." Ultron just nods again, which is becoming entirely too common for Wanda because she can't tell what he's thinking because _he's a freaking robot_.

"I had always wondered how you two were the only survivors of Strucker. Now I know. Don't worry, we'll make it right." He looks at both of them closely. "We're going to hurt them where it causes the most pain." He turns to Wanda and utters the words that will haunt her for months to come. "But you, pretty girl, are going to tear them apart from the _inside_."

* * *

Steve is still assessing the situation when an agent approaches him with the report that the area is clear of all assailants. He nods and looks over at Loki, who is studying a scorch mark along the wall. The god is immediately sure that the mark was caused by an enhanced being. He continues to look around for more signs. Perhaps, one of the twins left a trace powerful enough to track with his own magic. Loki follows the pattern absentmindedly. He is always eager to meet another fellow sorcerer.

Wanda watches as Loki crawls along the tunnel-way and out into the open air. He's following her trail, as she had hoped he would. It is here where she will make her first move against the Avengers. She summons her powers and waits. When he is in close range, she reaches out with her mind, to show him what he fears most.

As soon as she touches him, she realizes that her waiting was done in vain. With his numerous protective spells intact, she can't even get close enough to him to do what she wants. She has made a mistake. He is more powerful than she'd realized. Her lips press together in frustration, but she doesn't make a sound as she tries to make her retreat. When Loki freezes suddenly, she knows he senses her.

He feels someone watching him and turns. Realizing that she has been caught, Wanda smiles sweetly at him. He is not fooled by the pretty facade and sends out a curious, but wary tendril of magic. When she sends out a shield of her own, he looks at her with awakened interest.

"You are Wanda Maximoff. Where is your brother?" he questions. The woman narrows her eyes. He is a fool if she thinks she will give up Pietro, and tells him so. Loki only nods in agreement. He did not think that she would tell him anything. At least she speaks.

"My brother is not your concern," Wanda spits. Loki shrugs and begins to pace around her. She watches his every move, following him with her eyes.

"Why do you work for Ultron? He is not who you think he is. He will betray you the moment he no longer has need of you," he warns her. At this, Wanda flares up again.

"You dare to speak to me of loyalty and peace when you allow yourself to lay with a murderer? Tony Stark is evil! When I was a child, I witnessed the horror that man can commit. Not even a man at that. He sends machinery to kill others rather than do it himself. My brother and I are the only ones left in our family. I want him to feel my pain. And he will. When we finally destroy the Avengers, he will be the one that I start with."

Loki makes no move to stop her as she runs off. He has no need to, really. Hopefully, she is not powerful enough or within the right frame of mind to notice the tracker he has slipped onto her. Hopefully, she leads them straight to Ultron's hideout. With that little tidbit done, he decides to return to the others and report his findings.

"They were here," Loki says, addressing Steve. Clint who had been cleaning his bow and arrows now slides the weapons back into his quiver and slips the bow onto his back. He straightens up and crosses his arms over his chest. He looks doubtful and voices his opinion.

"Are you sure?" the captain asks, ignoring the archer. Loki nods and tells them of his encounter with Wanda. When he's finished, Steve is nodding, as if he comprehends the difficulty of the spell performed.

"Maximoffs," the captain says. Maria nods and pulls up their file on her tablet.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Orphaned at ten years old when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special." she comments.

"What are their abilities?" Steve asks. Maria skims through the rest of the information until she finds what she's looking for.

"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation. When just Steve stares at her in a funny way, she rolls her eyes.

"He's really fast and she's just weird," she clarifies. She glances at Loki who seems to have heard her and remembers he uses magic too. She begins to turn red under his gaze.

"Not uh...that I meant anything by that statement. Just that she likes to..." she says, trying to correct herself. Loki hides his smile from her as he turns away and Steve just nods slowly.

"Well, they're going to show up again," he tells her. Maria continues to read the information they have on the twins.

"File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's insane." She begins to scroll up.

"Right. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" he asks her, smiling. She sighs shaking her head. She can't say it's not the same thing as what Steve did, because it is just too similar.

"We're not at war, Captain." Steve turns his head again. He sees that Loki has moved again and wonders what sort of trail the god is following. It might just be in his head, but he swears he can see a red and green haze swirling around him and it reminds him a little bit of Christmas.

"But _they_ are, agent Hill," he points out. "It makes sense that Ultron would go to them, though. Since they have someone in common." Agent Hill distracts his attention from Loki, showing him her tablet once more.

"Not anymore," she says, handing Steve the device. On the screen is a photo of Baron Strucker's dead body with the word PEACE written in blood on the wall next to him. He frowns and summons the other Avengers to his side. Clint, who is busy talking on his phone doesn't seem to notice them at first. When he realizes he's being watched, he ends the call.

"That's a negative. I answer to you. Yes, ma'am. Gotta go."

"Barton, we might have something," Steve says. He frowns. "Who was that?" he asks when the archer hangs up. The man just shrugs. There is a small smile on his face, indicating that the conversation was a positive one.

"Girlfriend," he answers. From the look on the captain's face, it's obvious that is not the answer he'd been expecting, given Clint's relationship status.

"I don't understand why you have to hide her from us. I mean, sure she's not an Avenger, but you have no pictures, no rings...just nothing," he says. Clint just shrugs again.

"Just part of the job I guess," is his simple, yet still evasive reply. Steve says nothing more on the matter, though. He has gathered the rest of the team and shows them the photo of Strucker's body.

"What's this?" Loki asks him. Steve looks grim.

"A message. Ultron killed Strucker." It's not much of a surprise then. A death had been expected, but at least it's not a civilian.

"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us." Natasha remarks. "This is just a smokescreen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" she asks. The team shares a look that seems to say 'why else?'

"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss," Steve tells them. Natasha nods in agreement.

"Yeah, I bet he..." she pauses and uses her laptop to do a quick data search. "Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased," she announces. Clint sighs tiredly.

"Not everything," he says. This elicits a soft groan from the spy. He's talking about the physical files that have on Strucker. It will be a tiring process to go through them all by hand. Cap turns to Loki.

"How long is it going to take for us to get a hit?" he questions, addressing Loki's earlier admission to planting the tracking spell on Wanda Maximoff. Loki shrugs.

"With magic, there is no telling when it can become activated. But, when she comes into contact with a being as powerful as Ultron, combined with very little movement, will give us a clue. Hopefully," he adds. He doesn't want to get everyone's hopes up in case what he's planned doesn't happen.

His magic has been off lately, but not enough to worry him. Some of the magic skills he's previously learned seem to disappear somehow. Almost as if he hasn't learned them _at all_. His only hope is that he isn't pregnant again, because if that _is_ the case, then he will be utterly useless magic-wise in the next coming months if the situation continues for that long.

Seeing that nothing else can be done here, the team decides to pack up and head home for some much-needed rest. Hopefully, Loki picks up something within the next couple of days because the longer Ultron remains online, the bigger his influence can spread.

* * *

 _Tony lays in bed, having a_ very _wonderful dream about a certain inventor and his god. He sighs, groaning into his pillow. His dream self pauses in its ministrations as a keening wail breaks through his train of thought. Under him, Loki smiles at his uncertainty._

 _"Go on," the god urges, nudging him with his leg. Tony swallows nervously._

 _"Are you sure?" he asks. "What if I drop him? Or what if I hurt him? You should get him. Let me watch a couple more times so I can get a hang of things," the inventor insists. Loki watches him through slitted eyes, silently laughing at him._

 _"I know you won't drop him. I trust you and so does Frelser." Loki pushes the inventor off him and gets out of bed. He takes their robes from where they are hung and slips his on. Tony sighs and takes the offered one. He then allows Loki to take his hand and pull him into the adjoining room where the noise originates from._

 _Tony swears his arc reactor is going to explode from his chest, his heart popping out after it. He takes a deep breath as Loki continues to pull him into the dark bedroom, the light from the moon casting an eerie glow. Loki motions for the inventor to come closer and he does._

 _"Hold your arms out," the god says gently. With a shaky breath, Tony does as he is told. He prays he doesn't drop the crying infant and fights the sudden urge to pull away._

 _The weight of the baby is heavier than he remembers. He sighs, pulling the infant into a firmer embrace. He begins to rock Frelser back and forth in his arms, looking to Loki for approval. He sees Loki's smile and continues._

 _"That's perfect Tony. You're doing so well." The praise Loki gives him feels nice and he doesn't want it to stop. He can't help but smile at the both of them; his god and his perfect child. Loki places a hand on his shoulder._

 _"I'm going to get the milk," he tells his lover. When Loki begins to shift away from him, Tony immediately begins to panic. He watches in shock as Loki begins to walk out of the room. Tony stares after him, horrified._

 _"Wait...you're leaving me alone with him?" he says, but Loki was already gone. The silk hem of his robe vanishes around the corner of the doorway as he makes his exit. Tony swallows nervously, looking around for a place to sit, minimizing his chances of dropping the baby. He frowns. There seems to be nowhere to do so. In fact, the room is bare of any piece of furniture except for the crib and a dresser at the far side of the room. The room is also surprisingly cold, which is odd._

 _"JARVIS...I mean FRIDAY, turn up the heat in here, will you?" he asks. When he gets no reply, he becomes even more perplexed. He sighs and looks down at Frelser, who is trying to grab at his arc reactor. He smiles and lets the kid grab onto his finger instead. He's so engaged that he doesn't even notice that Loki has returned._

 _"Would you like to feed him?" the god asks, holding out the bottle. Tony shakes his head. He's shivering and he's afraid that any new movement will cause him to drop the baby._

 _"No, you do it. I'll watch," the inventor tells him. Loki sighs but reaches for the baby instead of insisting. One step at a time, he thinks._

 _"Come here Frelser. Time for you to eat," Loki says softly._

 _It's then that everything seems to fall out from under him. The odd feeling that he's had blooms fully in his chest and for a moment, everything becomes unfocused for Tony then. As he hands Frelser off to Loki, everything goes to hell. The god's form becomes transparent for an instant and the baby begins to slip between them._

 _The baby seems to drop to the floor in slow motion. Tony bends to catch him, but it's too late. Frelser's body hits the floor with a sickening crack, and he shatters in an instant, breaking into about a million pieces. Tony cries out in horror as he realizes what has just happened._

 _The inventor drops to his knees and attempts to put the pieces together again. The shards slice into his hands, and they begin to bleed profusely. There is no pain, however. Only the need to make things right again. When it becomes apparent that he is only making things a bloody mess, he stops. He can only stare at the mess in front of him as his blood continues to drip._

 _"Loki...I...I'm_ so _sorry. I didn't mean...I couldn't..." Tony raises his eyes to Loki's and is met with a stare that could freeze hell itself a hundred times over. The god's eyes are a fierce, heated red that shine with a luminescent glow in the twilight hours of the night._

 _"Loki, I-" he begins again. His words freeze in his throat when he sees the glinting shard in Loki's hand. Tony distinctly doesn't remember him picking one up._

 _"Loki?" he says, uncertainly. He begins to get up carefully so he won't cut himself any more than he already has. The god's gleaming gaze looks him up and down. Then, Loki smiles maniacally. The moment Tony begins to move, Loki slashes out with the makeshift blade. The inventor falls back onto the floor, clutching his throat as blood spurts out from between his fingers._

 _As his vision begins to dim, Tony feels himself rise out of his own body. His perspective changes suddenly, and he finds himself staring down at his own bloodied form on the floor. But it's not him exactly,_ is it _? It's Loki who is now on the floor, neck cut and leaking blood._

 _A mirror materializes beside him and Tony turns to look into it. The reflection changes to that of a crazed murderer. Covered in fresh, wet blood it begins to change once more. Steve, Natasha, Bruce...the rest of the Avengers are cycled through the image he sees now, all equally covered in the crimson fluid. And then, it comes back to Tony. The inventor reaches up with the shard and begins the process of slitting his own throat._

 _A red haze overtakes everything and somewhere in the back of his mind, Loki can hear his own screams echoing in the darkness._

* * *

Tony has been working on crafting a new AI system all night, working from the living room of his floor in Avengers Tower. After having one for so long, he doesn't feel comfortable going without. He'll have to return to the Malibu house tomorrow to get the extra codes to make it work properly. He also misses having Bruce at his side but for now, he's doing alright on his own.

Tony is just beginning to set up a simulation of the FRIDAY program on his laptop when the screams start. He rips off his glasses and runs toward the sound, pinpointing it to the master bedroom.

He finds Loki is there, thrashing violently on the bed. The god seems to be caught in the unrelenting hold of a nightmare. Tony dives onto the bed and grabs him by the shoulders.

"Loki, wake up," the inventor urges. "It's a dream, dammit." Tony begins to shake Loki awake, which seems to work because the god is beginning to open his eyes. Tony looks up and sees Minva standing in the doorway, eyes as wide as ping pong balls. He sighs and tries to soothe the girl who seems to be on the verge of tears.

"It's ok. We're ok, Minva. Just go and make sure Frelser is alright. Tell you what, we're going to make pancakes for breakfast. Whatever you want, ok? For now, go into the kitchen get a cookie or something," he tells her, cradling Loki's head against his chest. The girl nods and closes the door again. His attention immediately goes back to Loki, who is beginning to sit up.

"Are you ok? I came in here and you were screaming like someone was ripping you in half...and not in a good way," the inventor says, trying to add some humor to the situation. Loki drags a hand over his eyes, grimacing as he feels his headache begin to flare up again.

"I had a terrible dream. A...a nightmare. I was...I was...I..." Loki shakes his head, a sharp pain in his temple distracting him from what he wants to say. He feels Tony press a warm piece of fabric to his face.

"Your nose is bleeding," the inventor tells him in explanation. Loki frowns and takes a firm hold on the cloth. He's never gotten a nosebleed before. Well...that's not true actually. When he was a child, he ran into a wall chasing after a toy. And then later on due to injuries in the sparring arenas. But never like this, where it happens naturally.

They sit for a while. Tony rubs his back and cuddles with him. Then a sound from the kitchen interrupts their moment. Loki sighs and prepares to get out of bed, but Tony stops him.

"I'll go," the inventor offers. Loki shakes his head. He's spent long enough in bed. According to the clock, he has been asleep for thirteen hours already. Which is another odd occurrence. He silently hopes that he's come down with a Midgardian illness.

"No, I think I need to get up anyway. Perhaps eating something will help." Tony nods and lets Loki take the lead. As they enter the kitchen, Loki instantly snaps on a cheerful disposition. Tony isn't entirely sure how he feels about how quickly Loki can change his mood.

Together, both the inventor and the god begin their day with a heap of silly pancakes and giggling children. And then, just this simple action allows the nagging feeling of _wrongness_ to fade away from Loki's mind.

* * *

It isn't until the next day that Tony finally emerges from his self-imposed exile after clearing what he was able to in the lab so that working there will be more comfortable. He's decided that helping the others would be the best course of action. Even if he's not going to be allowed in on the mission, it doesn't mean he can't tell the others what he knows. Bruce gives him a look that says he's grateful he's decided to take the high road.

"Have any more fatalities been reported yet?" he asks. Steve shakes his head. Maria speaks before he has a chance to, obviously not realizing it.

"Nope. It's only when he's been engaged that he attacks. He's all over the globe, though. Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place." Steve sighs, searching through the box of files. Tony instructs Bruce to set up a database to search for Ultron's signatures.

 **"** All set up boss," Maria says brightly. She's already seen to it and presents the screen on her laptop to them. Tony gives her an approving stare. He hasn't been around Maria to know her, but he sees her value right away.

"Actually, he's the boss," Tony tells her, pointing to Steve. "I just happen to pay for everything...design everything...make everyone look cooler..." he trails off when Natasha nudges him in the side.

"Known associates," Steve begins to read instead. His eyebrows go up. "Well, Strucker certainly had a lot of friends," he remarks. Bruce takes a look over his shoulder.

"Well, these people are all _horrible_ ," is his contribution. Tony joins him, standing on his toes to get a proper look.

"Wait. I think I know that guy," he says. Bruce passes him the photo. "He was a former contact. From back in the day. He operates off the African coast, black market arms." He pauses when Steve gives him an accusing look and Tony does his best to look affronted. "There are conventions, _alright_? You meet people. I didn't sell him anything, though." They go on to look at a picture of a man identified as Ulysses Klaue as Tony continues to talk. "He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was all very "Ahab." Thor takes a closer look at the picture and points to the scar on the back of Klaue's neck.

"What's this?" he asks. Tony leans in.

"It's a tattoo. I don't think he had it-" he begins to say, but Thor interrupts him.

"No, those are tattoos, _this_ is a _brand_ ," he clarifies. Bruce goes to the computer to look it up. It turns out to be a symbol from the African dialect, meaning a thief.

"In a much less friendly way," he finishes. Steve frowns again. He's not liking this one bit.

"What's the dialect?" Bruce squints at the screen, realizing he needs to clean his glasses more often.

"Wakanada...?" he tries. "Wa...Wa...Wakanda." Tony frowns. He's heard of the place and figures if the man has gone there then he can only be after one thing.

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." he says. He's still trying to think of how it could be possible.

"I thought your father said he got the last of it?" Steve interjects. Bruce swivels around in his chair.

"I don't follow what you're saying. What comes out of Wakanda?" the scientist asks. Everyone but Bruce looks at Steve's shield.

"The strongest metal on earth," Tony says, giving it a light tap. Steve looks like he wants to say ' _hands off_ ' but thinks better of it. There are more important things at stake at the moment than a few smudges on his shield.

"Where is this guy now?"


	7. Fallen Dreams

Tony and Bruce's tale of how Ultron came to be is a short one and the rest of the team is left to their own devices in pinpointing his exact location. Seeing that there is nothing to do now, the inventor decides to head back to Malibu. He isn't expecting Bruce to accompany him back for the plane ride back, but it's a nice surprise.

Once the plane lands in California, things are a whole other story, however. Tony has a personal car waiting for them and the drive back to the house is made better by the company. It's his orange _Audi R8 Spyder_ , which only Tony is allowed to drive because it's become his favorite. The inventor hops into the driver seat and Bruce doesn't protest. He's not up for much driving today, so it all works out. The ride is anything but a quiet one, made better by the occasional yell from Bruce when the inventor starts to drive a little too fast for his liking.

As the sights pass by, Tony insists on giving Bruce a tour of all the best party hangouts in the city. After an hour, though, Bruce makes a compromise with Tony that they'll go out again after they finish working for the day.

"Would you like to drive us instead?" Tony asks him when Bruce begins to complain about his speed again. He lets go of the wheel and begins unbuckling his seat belt so that they can switch, just to make a point. Bruce shakes his head and grabs for the steering wheel because the car is still moving and the situation is a very dangerous one.

"That's not funny Tony," Bruce grumbles unhappily but is relieved once the inventor regains control. Tony sighs and shakes his head. Bruce is such a _worry wart_. He's just lucky he's cute or he'd have booted him an hour ago. He swerves out of the way of a driver driving equally as fast. Bruce just slumps in his seat, wondering what he's gotten himself into.

"Lighten up will you? I'm just trying to make all this easier. Besides, it's not like I was actually going to kill us doing driving stunts. Maybe twenty-five, thirty years ago, I might have crashed a few cars, sure. But I've grown since then. I think I could drive with a blindfold." Bruce gives him a dry chuckle. He hopes Tony doesn't see that as an actual challenge.

"Given that you're practically _fifty_ , that doesn't seem to reassure me in the least," the man teases. Tony scoffs. He's only forty-six and in surprisingly good health for his age.

"I'm _forty-six_ , dammit. Which is _almost_ fifty, but still not quite," he corrects. They're arriving at the house now and things start to wind down for the two science bros. Bruce exits the car, savoring the feel of a motionless ground beneath his feet.

Tony shows him around his home a bit before they get to work. The work is already half done on the FRIDAY program and all that's left are a few little tweaks. After that's finished, they turn to pull up their reports on the Mandarin. Remembering his threat to the Mandarin a week earlier, Tony decides putting the house in lockdown is the safer way to go.

Tony and Bruce pass the next six days like this with ease. Both men are on the verge of actually discovering an actual clue to where the Mandarin's base of operations may be when the doorbell rings.

"FRIDAY, are we seriously still at "ding-dong"? We're supposed to be on total security lockdown. _Come on_ , I threatened a terrorist for Christ's sake! Who is that?" he demands. FRIDAY's response sounds eerily like how JARVIS would say it for some reason.

"There is only so much I can do, sir, when you give the world's press your home address. Next time, when you feel the urge, perhaps...don't?" she tells him. Bruce can't help but smile because he hears it too. Tony gets up and calls his suit to him. He is surprised to see a pretty dark-haired woman standing outside. When she sees him, she waves cheerfully. Tony sighs and presses a button on the wall. The glass doors open and the woman steps into the foyer.

"Right there's fine," Tony says, fully dressed in his Ironman suit. In the Mark 42, he stands a full 6' 5", which Bruce finds hysterical since the man is only 5' 8" to begin with. He swears with every new model, the suit gets an inch and a half taller. The scientist watches as Tony begins to walk toward her. "You're not the Mandarin, are you? Are you?" he says, lowering his hands slightly. Behind him, Bruce clears his throat.

"Tony, I uh...I don't think she's the Mandarin. In fact, I happen to know that she's a botanist. Maya Hansen. Pretty well known in the underground, if I may say so," he says. Maya nods, smiling at him.

"You've heard of me?" she asks. Bruce actually blushes. Tony looks at both of the people in front of him, wondering what kind of history they could have. He takes a step back and lets the two talk. He pulls up his phone and begins to look this mysterious woman up.

"Yes, I have. No offense, but I haven't actually followed your work for a couple of years now. I just...I became busy with other things," he admits, thinking of the Avengers Initiative. Tony is suddenly aware that they're looking at him. He pushes what he's doing aside.

"What?" he asks. To this, Maya scoffs and places a hand on her hip. She's shaking her head as if he's a puppy that's just peed on the carpet again.

"You don't remember. Why am I not surprised?" she says in a dull tone. Tony looks to Bruce who just shrugs.

"Well, don't take it personally, sweetheart. I have trouble remembering to eat every day," he admits. Bruce nods in agreement. He's been a witness to this little fact countless times. It's a wonder the man has the muscle tone he does.

"I will be sure to remind you from now on, sir," FRIDAY chirps up. Maya looks at the ceiling with surprise written all over her face. Tony gives FRIDAY a thumbs up on that front, stepping out of his suit. He's sure he'd perish without a someone constantly watching over him.

"We've met before if you're wondering. Thirteen years ago to be precise." Tony pales, realizing the implications.

"Please tell me you don't have a twelve-year-old kid in the car, 'cause I don't think I could handle another one. Especially one that's already in puberty," he tells her. She smiles, which he doesn't take as a good sign.

"My son is thirteen, actually," Maya tells him. Tony staggers back a step. He feels a sudden dizziness wash over him. "And no, you share no relation to him, what so ever. Thank god," she clarifies. Tony sighs with relief.

"So what are you here for then? I'm a busy man with important things to do. Have you heard of the Mandarin? Sure you have. That's who I'm looking to take down by the way. So state your business, or go." Maya isn't phased by his bluntness. In her line of work as a woman, she's certainly used to it by now.

"I know about the Mandarin, Stark. And frankly, I don't think you'll last another week without some sort of help." Tony frowns. It's not that he has anything against female help. It's just that her appearance is just so...sudden. And now she's here, telling him she has some secret information to help with his search? Sorry, but he doesn't trust things that seem too good to be true.

"No thanks, but Bruce and I are doing ok here. I'm sure at the pace we're going, we'll be fine," he says. Bruce pulls him aside.

"Tony, we're getting absolutely nowhere with our research. I think having an extra mind will help us a lot. At least hear her out," the man tells his friend. Tony sighs, looking at Maya out of the corner of his eye. She seems innocent enough, but still...

"Have you forgotten that I threatened a terrorist and there's still a chance that he might come and _kill_ me?" Tony demands. Bruce drops his gaze, shaking his head. He'd forgotten about that.

"If you're wondering whether or not I'd survive a Mandarin attack, then the answer is yes," Maya says when the two men turn to look at her. "I'm tougher than I look," she promises. Tony sighs. It's been almost two weeks and there has been no sign of the Mandarin. He figures that the terrorist doesn't have an inkling of a spine after all.

"Alright, if that's what you want...then you can stay and help us work. I will not accept any slacking, though. You do realize that you may be putting your kid at risk too right?" he warns her. Maya nods and after a few more moments of discussion, retreats outside. After the woman goes to get her things and her son, Bruce raises an eyebrow at Tony. The look is comical on his face and doesn't seem to fit him at all.

"So, I take it you and Maya have a history?" Bruce asks. Tony sighs, tapping in commands on his pad.

"An old fling, really. Nothing more. You don't know how I was back then," he says. Bruce smiles knowingly.

"Actually, I do. I've read the papers, you know." Tony nods, going quiet. Maya has just returned. Her son is standing silently at her side and there is baggage at their feet. Tony smiles, for the kid's sake.

"Hey, little man," he says, wincing as he realizes the boy must hear how uncomfortable he is with the whole situation. He can't help but think of how the kid must know of the history he has with his mom. The boy sighs and steps forward to shake his hand anyway.

"Hi, I'm Justin." Tony surveys him, as he takes his hand. The grip is firm and he approves immediately. He guesses he's just comparing Justin to his mother. Ok, he's trying to see comparisons between the kid and _himself_ , in case Maya wasn't actually joking around. Everything checks out so far because Justin is blond with gray eyes and pale skin. The boy is tall for his age, almost as tall as Tony himself. Or maybe Tony is just short for _his_ age. For some reason, he finds himself feeling self-conscious again, just like he did in high school.

"Tony Stark. Why don't you and your mom go find a room you like? FRIDAY will instruct you on where to go," he offers. To this, Justin simply nods and picks up his and his mother's bags and waits for further prompting. Silence engulfs them, which is not what is supposed to happen but Tony decides to roll with it and not panic.

"FRIDAY, that's your cue..." Tony says in a sing-song voice. This is the AI's first interaction with others outside of the Avengers and so far, she is doing well, except for the fact that she seems shy right now.

"I'm sorry sir. I think I was distracted for a moment. Alright then, young Justin and miss Hansen, please allow me to guide you to your rooms," FRIDAY says cheerily. Tony grins proudly. She's working just as he'd hoped and designed her to. The inventor instructs FRIDAY to show the two new guests to the lab once they're settled in.

Tony follows Bruce back to the lab and they begin to fiddle around with a few things. Hopefully, Maya will help to provide them with more of an insight to the Mandarin's whereabouts.

* * *

Tony flies back to the tower later on that night. It's just to kiss the children goodnight, but Loki thinks it's something more lovely than the inventor wants to admit. It's just something he does because he remembers the nights his mother would come to him at night, just before he closed his eyes. He wants his kids to feel that now.

"JARVIS, where is-" then Loki breaks off suddenly. JARVIS is gone, he reminds himself. It's a weird thought because he has become so used to the AI's presence in the short while he has been living on Midgard. He shakes his head when his eyes begin to sting. He finds Tony in the children's room, reading Minva a story before she goes to sleep. He watches for a moment, and then he decides to make some tea. It's done by the time Tony finishes and they both share a pot.

"How are things going with Ultron?" he asks suddenly. Loki looks at him over the rim of his mug.

"It's going slower than we'd hoped. But we're farther than we were yesterday," the god points out. Tony nods and stirs more honey into his cup. He wishes that there was something else he could do for the team, but he can't except go after Ultron himself and he made a promise to Loki he wouldn't do that. Not unless it were completely necessary and no other way to stop him.

"You wanna talk about what happened two nights ago? That wasn't normal. Not even for you, Loki," Tony says. Loki shakes his head. There's nothing to talk about he claims. He's already deduced what happened; made sense of it even. He knows of sorcerers that practice the art of mental manipulation, but he'd never experienced it himself until he met Wanda Maximoff. It's just unnerving how real the nightmare had been.

"It was that girl. _Wanda_. She tried to influence me with her powers, but it didn't work. At least not at first. But I'm _fine_ ," Loki insists when Tony tenses up. Tony nods quietly.

That night, the two men make love on the floor of their bedroom because they don't even try to make it to the bed. All the while during his orgasm, Loki has a sense of calm wash over him. But then, when Tony is gone, the feeling of _wrongness_ is creeping back, running through his veins like a parasite that just won't let it's host go. It's growing, he thinks. If only he could just figure out what _it_ is.

* * *

A week passes without incident. Having another person in the lab is odd at first because Tony and Bruce have both developed a system with each other. But, after a few days, Maya is a welcome addition to them.

Maya looks at the tv playing in the background. The screen shows a live shot of the Malibu mansion on the news, which is odd. She can see a helicopter approaching from a way off and isn't sure how to feel about it. She stares, unsure of what is happening. She looks to the two men in the room for assurance, but Bruce is passed out in the corner, which he has claimed as his spot in the past few days and Tony is busy trying to triangulate the Mandarin's whereabouts from videos.

"Um...Tony, is this...normal?" she asks. The inventor raises his head and when he sees what's happening, the pen he's holding in his mouth drops to the floor.

"Bruce, wake the hell up!" he yells. The scientist snaps awake and reaches for his classes, which have fallen down to his chin. He wipes the thin line of drool from the corner of his mouth and jumps to his feet. Tony sees the helicopter and rushes out of the room and up the stairs.

"What's happened?" the scientist asks and Maya points to the tv. His eyes widen and he curses, running after the inventor.

"FRIDAY, Code Red! CODE RED!" Tony shouts at the top of his lungs. Justin comes out of his room in a rush from playing the video games Tony had supplied him with days ago.

"Mr. Stark, what's wrong?" he asks. Tony groans, remembering the kid's presence. Tony shakes his head and goes about gathering

"Well, kid you remember that thing that we thought wouldn't happen because of the Mandarin? Well, it's happening. Like _right now_. So I'm not trying to be rude here because I'm sure you're a great kid and all, but I'm going to have to ask you to take your mom and get the hell out."

"Tony, shut up!" Bruce yells from the other side of the room. He swears the inventor talks too much in dire situations like these. He makes a grab for his cell phone and remembers that it's in his pocket. He doesn't know who he's going to call in such a short time, but it's more for the comfort of having it than anything else. It just proves that the connection to technology is unhealthy.

"What are we going to do?" Maya asks. Tony pauses, looking out of the window. That's when the first missile hits. Glass explodes everywhere as the building shakes on its rock foundation. Then another missile hits, this time, below them into the cliff. Everything begins to tilt. Tony calls Mark 42 to him and sees Bruce struggling not to turn green. He takes a shot at a circling helicopter and knocks it out of the sky.

"That's one," he says, looking for the other one. FRIDAY thinks this is a good time to remind him that the suit is only a prototype, which he thanks her for sarcastically.

"Bruce maybe now is not the time you turn a little green for me, but maybe you ought to in a few minutes," Tony suggests. The man nods and gives off an inhuman grunt. Across from them and beam falls and they hear a scream. It's Maya. She's cradling her son's head in her arms. It's the only part of him that's peeking out from under the cement he's trapped under. Tony crawls over to them, ignoring the Hulk's yells of anger as he's forcibly kept inside. Another helicopter comes into view and he shoots it down before it can fire.

"That's two," he mumbles. He turns back to Maya who is shaking her head at him.

"I shouldn't have come here," Tony hears her say. Tony shushes her and tries to check Justin. Maya just ends up shoving him away. She looks as though she'd claw his face off if he didn't have a mask covering it.

" _You_ did this!" she yells at him. Tony frowns but continues to try and lift the debris off her son. The task is made more difficult from Maya's resistance.

"As I recall, you're the one who wanted to stay here. I told you of the risks, but you still insisted. I'm sorry about your son's injuries, but I'll see if I can free him up a bit before that helicopter circles back around." Maya just shakes her head, looking at him with hate in her eyes.

"Get away from him! I should have just come here and done what I was supposed to. But instead, when I saw you, I got weak," she states. Tony hesitates for a second before using all the strength in his body to free the boy trapped beneath the wreckage. He doesn't have time to figure out what she means because they're wasting time just talking.

"Listen, can we talk later? I'm kinda busy. You know, saving your son's _life_?" Maya starts crying but lets him pull her son free. Tony can immediately tell that the kid's ribs are not supposed to look like that. There's blood leaking out of his mouth and he doesn't seem to be breathing much. Tony looks around for Bruce. The man seems to be going through his own personal struggle, though.

"Look, I'm not even going to lie to you. Justin may not even last a day with those injuries. I've alerted S.H.I.E.L.D., so they should be on their way. I can't take you with me because Bruce and I are on a mission and that'd put your lives in even more jeopardy. So, you're going to get to Avengers Headquarters in New York and get help. There's a Cradle there. It can help your son with healing. If you get to it, he'll be fine," he tells her. "Now go. Things aren't going to hold up for long in here." The woman nods and picks up her son.

"Tony!" Bruce/Hulk yells. The inventor looks over his shoulder and sees that another Helicopter has come around. He doesn't know how he missed it, but it's too late now. He wishes he could do more, but there's no time. Tony sees the missile launch and silently crosses himself in his head. If he were religious, he'd be on his knees at the moment, praying to whatever god listens.

"FRIDAY, how's my flight power?" The response is less than inspirational. He needs to remind himself to tone down the AI's cheerfulness meter when giving bad news.

"Again, sir. The Mark 42 is a _prototype_. But I will work on it." There's a loud cracking sound below them as the foundation of the cliff finally gives out and then everything begins to fall for the last time. Then, everything is crashing into the water below. Tony just hopes that Maya and Justin got out ok. As he falls, he swears he sees a large blue body leaning out of the helicopter and he begins to think of New York.

Then, he doesn't have time to think of anything else as his body slams into the water below. The suit absorbs most of the impact, but it still hurts. In the water, Tony starts to feel like he's drowning. Which probably he is. He notices that FRIDAY doesn't have anything positive to say about that little fact.

"Sir, I'm going to recommend that you take a deep breath, ok?" FRIDAY tells him. Tony does as he's told and takes a deep breath. He feels his gauntlet detach and grabs his hand. The mechanical limb propels him forward and out from under the objects weighing him down.

"I think you'll be happy to learn that flight power is online," FRIDAY tells him as he surfaces. The inventor nods and sees Hulk splashing around a couple yards away. He's slowly shrinking back down to a Bruce sized human being. He launches himself into the air and grabs the naked scientist.

"Tony, this is _very_ uncomfortable," Bruce remarks. The air is cold on his junk and he's hoping no one sees them as they fly away. But one person does.

Maya Hansen watches from the ground as Tony and Bruce make their hasty exit. They've practically left her to fend for herself until a S.H.I.E.L.D. issued quinjet arrives. She looks down as her son takes his last breath and then goes still. Silent tears slip down her cheeks and she has no choice but to wait.


	8. Risen Nightmares

There is an insistent beeping that's keeping him from going back to sleep. He tries to reach out and shut off the alarm, but he realizes he can't move his arm. Tony grumbles irritably, finding it very irritating.

"Alright, kill the alarm. _I got it_ ," Tony mumbles. He's just about to go back to sleep when the beeping becomes even louder. It's going on and on in his ear, all around him even, and he tries to shut it off again, but he can't figure out where it's coming from.

A sense of confusion overtakes him for a moment when he realizes that they're actually _still flying_. His suit has gone into autopilot mode, which explains the immobility of the suit. His eyes snap open and below him, he realizes he can hear Bruce yelling for him to watch where he's going.

"Sir, that's the emergency alarm triggered by the power dropping below five percent. It is recommended that you land now and recharge the suit." Tony realizes that he's flying through the snow in the night. He feels himself begin to panic, which leads to him losing control of the suit. He and Bruce crash land into the ground in the middle of a forest. Tony rips off his face helmet as he lies on the ground, trying to catch his breath.

"It's snowing...why is it snowing?" he asks the swirling white sky. He sits up on his elbows and sees a naked Bruce staggering to his feet. The scientist pulls a bag out of the snow and onto his shoulder. He rummages around in it for a moment before pulling on a sweater that he'd stashed earlier. Next is a pair of jeans and then shoes.

"Where are we, upstate?" Bruce asks, wrapping his arms around himself to fight off the cold. FRIDAY pipes up, her voice as cheerful as ever. It's starting to get just a _tiny_ bit annoying.

"We are currently five miles outside of Rose Hills, Tennessee." Tony groans loudly and lays back down for a moment. The suit protects his skin from feeling the cold for the time being, which is good.

"Why are we outside of Tennessee, FRIDAY? How is this helpful?" he demands. For a moment, the AI goes quiet.

"I thought that's what you wanted," she says in a tiny voice. "That's where you were going to go originally. I looked into the last files JARVIS had and he had prepared a flight plan for you...this was it," she tells him. Tony lets out an enraged cry and tells her to open the suit. When he feels the biting cold of the snow, he decides that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"That's brisk!" he shouts, beginning to shiver. Bruce looks at him with annoyance. Welcome to my world, he thinks. The inventor prepares to lay back down. "Maybe I'll just cozy back up for a bit..." he says.

"I actually think I need to...I can't stay awake...sleep now... _sssir_ ," FRIDAY tells him in a slurred voice and then the suit loses power. Tony places a hand on it, hoping it will come back to life.

"FRIDAY? _FRIDAY_? Don't leave me," he begs. He sniffs and steps the rest of the way out of the suit. Bruce places a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Tony, we need to move. Find someplace warm," Bruce tells. Tony nods shakily and pulls himself into a standing position. He grabs the Ironman suit under the arms and gestures Bruce toward the legs. Bruce sighs and grips the lower half.

"On the count of three, we'll lift, ok?" he says him. Bruce nods and braces his knees. "Ok...1...2...3!" Tony and Bruce end up dragging the suit half a mile to a petrol station, where Tony makes a call. He's not sure why he does. He guesses it's just to make himself feel better about everything. Also, he doesn't just want to go off the grid completely. He doesn't want the team to think that he's _dead_ or something. A robotized voice begins to speak and he waits for it to finish.

"Stark Secure Server: Now transferring to all known receivers," it states. Tony begins his message then, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. He already misses Loki and the kids and realizes he won't be able to kiss Minva and Frelser goodnight until this is over. He's been commuting back and forth between the tower and the Malibu home just for that, which the others had teased him for. But now, emotion isn't the key and he doesn't want to show it from now on. He needs to do this so that in the future, he'll be able to focus on what needs to be done.

"Loki, it's me. I've got a lot of apologies to make and not a lot of time. So first off, I'm so sorry I put you and the kids in harm's way. That was selfish and stupid and it won't happen again. Also, it's Christmas time, and yes the rabbit was definitely too big. Sorry. It's gone, though. I donated it to a kid's hospital. I'm sure they'll love to jump around on it and stuff. And I'm sorry in advance because...I can't come home yet.

"I need to find this guy. The Mandarin. You gotta stay safe while you go after Ultron. He's more dangerous than we realized. He's sort of like me which is worse because who needs two Tony Starks running around? That's all I know. I want you to tell Minva and Frelser that I love them, even if Frelser can't understand that yet. But maybe he will, He's smart, just like you. Not-" he's cut off as a mechanical voice comes on.

"To continue your call, please deposit 25 cents," the machine demands. Tony sighs and digs a quarter out of his pocket. He pushes it into the slot before continuing.

"Not that I'm saying Minva isn't smart too. But...I just don't want them to think I've abandoned you guys. I'd never do that. Also, Bruce is here. I'm sure he'd like to tell Steve how he feels too, so I'll just pass the phone to him so he can talk. Ok, bye for now." he says. He waves Bruce over and hands the phone off to him once he's in range. The scientist thanks him and begins to record his own message.

"Hi Steve, it's Bruce. Do you want to hear something funny? I think I just stole a poncho from a wooden Indian, but he's wood. I don't think he'll need it, though. The thing I'm worried about most is karma. If I steal from wooden Indians then who knows how far I'll go," he says with a chuckle. He's nervous and the attempt at a joke is bad, but he's sure the soldier will appreciate the sentiment. He clears his throat.

"Sorry. I think I'm hanging around Tony too much, just like you said. But anyway, I love you and I don't want you to worry about me, ok? I have Tony and...and Hulk. So you need o find Ultron before he can cause any more damage. But...stay safe." He hangs up the phone and stands there for a long moment.

Both men begin the process of trying to find a hideout to lay low in for a while. They come to an abandoned shed and figure it's good enough. They open the door and a blast of warm air hits them. Tony steps into the room and allows his end of the suit to fall onto the floor. Bruce looks around the shed in surprise. It doesn't look very abandoned from the inside.

Moments after entering the room, Tony collapses to the floor, holding his face and moaning in pain. Bruce drops to his knees as small, round object comes sailing at his head. It hits the wall behind him and drops to the floor. When he takes a closer look, he sees that it's a...potato? He passes it over to Tony who is holding a bloody nose. They look up as another one hits the floor in front of them and see a boy holding a homemade launcher. He's reloading again and Tony gets onto his knees.

"Whoa," the inventor shouts. "Hold it, we're not going to hurt you kid. We're just lost," he explains. The boy squints at them carefully, a hint of fear showing in his eyes.

"Who are you and why are you in my shed?" he demands in a clear voice. Tony smiles reassuringly and wipes his nose. The bleeding has thankfully stopped.

"Hi, I'm Tony. But you can just call me the Mechanic. And this is Bruce, the...Scientist. What's your name kid?" he says. The fear slowly fades, leaving behind a thin layer of suspicion on the kid's young face. He looks at the red and gold suit on the floor and then back at Tony's face. His eyes widen when he recognizes the one and only Ironman.

"I'm Harley Keener and you're...it's...that's," he gasps out, but can't finish because of his excitement. Tony grins when Harley sets down his potato gun and rushes over to them. "Can I touch it?" he asks. Tony nods and gets up. His knees crack painfully, but at least he's alive. Thank goodness it was only a potato launcher.

"Let's make him comfortable first, though. Help me put Mark 42 over there on the couch, Bruce," he says. The other man nods, too tired to respond with words. They manage to wrestle the machine onto the couch and Tony sits him up. He crosses the suit's legs because he thinks it gives him a sense of style. Then, the inventor flops down beside it and yawns loudly. Harley is immediately rushing over to them. His hands are touching the suit everywhere he can reach. He grabs the hand and begins to check the fingers.

"Wow, this is so cool! I have Tony Stark in my shed. And the suit is-" there is a small _chink_ sound and one of the fingers on the suit comes off. Harley stares at it, eyes wide and shining. Tony groans quietly.

"What are you doing kid? He's already been through a rough time," he says. Harley begins to apologize, but Tony just shakes his head.

"It's ok. It was an accident. I can fix it. I'm the Mechanic, right?" he says. Harley nods and hands the finger to him and Tony slips it into the front pocket on his shirt. He smiles his best smile and pats the helmet of the Ironman suit that sits beside him. "You know, that's a nice potato gun you've got there. But you might want to tone it down a little. That thing can _kill_ somebody...unless that was your intention in the first place?" Harley's eyes widen and he looks down, ashamed. Tony sighs.

"Alright, what's his name?" Bruce asks. Harley frowns and looks up at him.

"Who?" he asks in a quiet voice. Bruce smiles. He's been in enough situations where he's been bullied to spot another bullied kid when he sees one. He gives Harley a sympathetic look.

"The kid that's bullying you at 's his name?" he asks again. Harley chews his lip and gives the scientist a worried look.

"How'd you know that?" he asks suspiciously. Bruce shrugs and Tony pats him on the back to give him comfort.

"Well, when you're as nerdy as he is on a daily basis, then it's bound to happen _sometime_ ," he says. Bruce rolls his eyes, but he's smiling all the same.

"So...if I help you, what do I get?" Harley asks. Tony smiles.

"So a meeting with the one and only Ironman isn't enough huh? Not even Hulk in the flesh? Alright then. I got just the thing," he says, leaning down to open a compartment on the suit. He takes out a small metal object and holds it out to the boy.

"This is a piñata for a cricket. I'm kidding, it's a very powerful weapon. Point it away from your face, and press the button on top. It discourages bullying. Non-lethal, just to cover one's ass," he says, offering. Harley reaches out to take it but hesitates at the last moment.

"Deal? Deal? What'd you say?" Tony asks, waiting for an answer. Harley takes it and rolls the object around in his hand for a moment before giving him a small nod.

"Ok, deal," he says. "I just have one question, though," he says. Tony leans forward.

"What's that thing on your chest?" he says, pointing to his own. Tony raises an eyebrow.

"It's just an electromagnet. You should know, you've got a whole box of them right there," the inventor says, picking up a box of magnets.

"Well, what does it power?" he questions. Tony gives him a noncommittal shrug.

"Nothing really. Not like it keeps my heart going or anything. It just prevents the shrapnel in my chest from into my chest." Tony stands and points the desk light at his suit sitting on the couch behind him. He looks around on the desk for a few tools that can help him with fixing up the suit. Harley stares at it, fascinated.

"Is that...uh...what makes you Ironman?" he asks. Tony sighs. It's like no one reads his bio.

"Technically, I am Ironman with or without it," is his answer.

"Well, _technically_ , you're supposed to be dead." Harley takes a newspaper out from under the various papers on the desk and gives it to Tony. The inventor accepts the newspaper which shows the headline, ' _Mandarin Attack: Stark presumed dead_ '. He frowns, handing it to Bruce.

"Well, they have a valid point," the scientist remarks. Tony grunts, finding a pair of tweezers and a screwdriver amid the cluttered mess. Harley continues to sit, examining the suit further. He traces a finger over a deep cut where a small chunk of the metal is missing.

"What happened to him?" he asks, referring to the suit. Tony sighs, shaking his head.

"Life kid. Now do you wanna help me fix them or not?" he asks. He thinks he's acquired the proper tools to get things started and wouldn't mind the extra help. Plus, the kid looks like he's about to burst at the seams watching him work.

Harley nods enthusiastically and Tony grins.

"Alright, first, I'll require a few more things ok? But I'm going to need a few more things, though. First, I'll need a laptop, a digital watch, a cell phone, the pneumatic actuator from your bazooka over there, a map of the town, a big spring, and a tuna fish sandwich." he says expectantly. When Harley just stands there, admiring the suit, Tony snaps his fingers in front of the boy's face. He knows his stuff is nice, but it'd be a lot nicer if they could get moving here.

"Hey, kid? Is my sandwich coming along here or not?" he asks. Harley realizes that he's been neglecting his duties as a proper host and jumps up. He nods enthusiastically and runs off. Bruce gives Tony a disapproving look.

"You shouldn't tease that kid so much," Bruce says as Tony lifts up the bottom of the suit's chest plate. There are places to attach wires to charge, but he's not sure of how reliable a charge he would get. Only one way to find out, he thinks.

"Harley's a tough kid, Bruce. He'll be fine with a few pokes and jabs every now and then," he tells him. He should know. Tony thinks back to his own father for a moment. He remembers the vivid coldness that always lingered over his head because of Howard Stark.

That coldness could only be cured by Edwin Jarvis' kindness toward him as a child. Staring at the machine in front of him, Tony realizes that even if he hadn't meant to...he's turned into his father in more ways than he can count. The alcohol, the obsession with machinery, the determination to keep the family business going at all costs...that's it. It's in him, and he doesn't know how it got there.

Lost in his own thoughts, Bruce stands there for a moment, thinking of how it would be nice to have his own family with Steve one day. Maybe, Tony is onto something with Loki. He nods to himself. He doesn't think Harley will be any worse off with them as mentors.

* * *

All throughout the room, there is almost the absence of sound. At least that's what it feels like for Loki. He watches the screen of the television, knuckles a paler shade of white than usual from gripping the leather of the couch so tightly. The tv is on, but the god isn't really paying attention to it.

He is staring at the tablet on the table, replaying the video over and over again. The destruction of the Malibu house is devastating in itself, but it can't compare to the devastation he feels on the inside. He looks at the top of the screen. The icon now reads 15%, so he figures he's got an hour or so before the battery dies and he has to plug the device into an outlet.

He hasn't found what he's looking for yet. Perhaps it isn't even there. Maybe his hopes of seeing a flash of red and gold flying out from the wreckage are in fact, just a foolish notion he has. Loki runs a hand through his hair, pulling at the roots sharply. He hasn't slept since the attack but he has this overwhelming need to stay awake. He can't bare to sleep now. It's too much to take in right now, but he needs to know. He needs to...

Loki's gaze snaps to the tv secured on the wall. A newswoman has appeared and he sees that the headline has finally changed. It now reads ' _Has Stark Finally Bitten off More Than He Can Manage?_ ' He reaches for the remote to turn the volume up.

" _It appears that billionaire inventor and philanthropist Tony Stark has become a victim of his own arrogance. Earlier this month, it was reported that he actually_ threatened _the Mandarin terrorist and then gave out his home_ _address on national television._ _Perhaps in some bizarre attempt to lure the Mandarin to his home to finally end his reign of terror._

 _"That's a pretty risky move, considering the reports that Stark no longer lives alone. He reportedly lives with his newborn son and recently adopted daughter, and their...mother?"_ A picture of Loki in his Jotun form appears beside the woman's head and she turns to look at it. Her face of disgust says it all. _"Looks like a nightmare from hell to me."_

Loki stares at the screen, completely horrified. He should be used to it by now, really. He knows his Jotun skin is a rare commodity on Midgard. Even among the mutants that live in the Xavier home, he's heard quite a bit about in the past. Loki chokes back a sob and prepares to stand. It hurts because he knows it's true. A hand being placed on his shoulder startles him badly and he lashes out with a clawed hand.

Clint jumps back, but not before Loki's hand makes contact. Four glistening red claw marks sit on the side of his cheek. The archer gently touches the scratches and frowns when they come away red. Loki stares at his fingers, mouth hanging agape.

"I'm sorry. I just..." Loki begins, but he shakes his head. Clint just sighs and sits down. He's not mad actually. Just hoping it doesn't scar. Believe it or not, his face is his most prized possession. Under his bow of course.

"It's ok, Loki. Just a few little scratches. You shouldn't even be listening to those shows anyway. They always upset you. They're nothing but liars. It's the only thing gossip sites know how to do to make their money." Clint takes a tissue out of his pocket and dabs at the cuts on his face. He winces at each one in silence. He wonders if Dr. Cho will let him use the Cradle...

The sound of a heavy sob interrupts his thoughts. He looks over at Loki and realizes that the god is truly going through a crisis. He doesn't show it, but Clint recognizes the look of despair in his eyes.

He realizes that there is a strong possibility that the god has just lost his lover and he has no idea how to tell their children of Tony's disappearance. Loki places his head into his hands. Clint places a tentative hand on his shoulder again. He doesn't want to get any further injuries, so he leans away just in case. When Loki doesn't spring up again, he allows himself to relax.

"It's going to be alright Loki. It's been a week and there haven't been any reports of a body recovery. I'm sure they got out ok. Maybe a little banged up, but they're ok," he says. Loki nods, wanting to believe him. But there is still a nagging uncertainty that comes with not knowing. And yet that same feeling of _wrongness_ that has pursued him for the last month still persists.

"I think you should speak with the Captain as well. I'm sure he is also in need of comfort...and reassurance," Loki tells him. Clint smiles, which is such a rarity for the archer that Loki has to think whatever he is saying has to be true.

"Why don't you go yourself? He said he had something he wanted you to see. He was really urgent about it, though, so you might as well go before he blows a gasket." Loki nods and rises from his seat. He gets into the elevator and directs FRIDAY to take him to Steve. She complies without a word, which he is grateful for. He doesn't think he'd be able to handle her cheery disposition. Not today.

When the ride stops, it opens on the lower floors of the tower. There are a lot of SHIELD operatives milling about and he isn't sure which way he should go. He frowns and prepares to ask one of the agents where Steve is since he doesn't feel like searching for the man, but FRIDAY speaks up. Her cheerfulness is gone, replaced by a somberness that satisfies Loki for the time being.

"Captain Rogers is currently in the tactics room, reviewing a message we just received early this morning." She sounds older for some reason, but he doesn't have time to contemplate as his legs start to go in the direction they're supposed to. He reaches the room at the end of the hall and the sliding doors part to reveal a dark workspace. As he enters, Loki sees that Steve has thrown himself into his work.

Steve has found that it's the only thing that keeps his mind off Bruce's sudden disappearance. It's easier than he thought it would be and he sees how easy it was for Bruce and Tony. If -when- he has to correct himself. When he sees Bruce again, he'll apologize for all of those times he complained about the scientist working late nights in the lab.

"You wanted to see me?" Loki asks? Steve straightens up from what he's looking at on the table and turns to look at him. The Captain looks older than normal, with dark circles under his eyes and his skin a paler shade of what it usually is.

"Loki, I think you might want to come look at this. It's about Bruce. And Tony," he says slowly. Loki's attention is immediately captured and his stomach starts to drop. But the slight glint of hope in the Captain's face calms him, and he draws strength from it to take a step forward. On the table is a dusty looking Ironman helmet. Seeing it makes Loki want to grab it and demand where it's creator is. But he wants to see what Steve has to say first.

"A transmission came in on one of the suits this morning. It was a message from Tony and Bruce. It was dated after the explosion, so at least we know that they're still alive. S.H.I.E.L.D. had already begun an excavation of the Malibu house this morning. And that's how we found this in the basement. They a message for us to listen to. I thought it'd be best if we listened first."

A breath of relief rushes out of him and Loki pulls a chair out from under the table to sit down. His heart is pounding, but he feels better than he has in days. Now, tonight when Minva asks him why Tony hasn't come to say good night to her and Frelser, he can tell her the truth. Tony is alive.

"Thank you," Loki says. When Steve looks at him again, he's smiling.

"Do you want to hear the message?" the captain asks. Loki nods, hoping he won't get too emotional. Together, the two men listen to the recording with a rigid attention span. When it ends, Steve automatically plays it again, which Loki doesn't mind. He thinks the joke Bruce tried to make is pitiful, but it's nice to hear a sense of humor from him. Steve sighs.

"I thought that they were gone too. Thank god that isn't the case. But at least they're on the trail of the Mandarin now," he says. Loki nods again.

"Captain, I feared that may have been the case too, but this is Tony and Bruce we're speaking of here. They are resourceful men. If anyone could have survived that explosion, then it would be them," he insists. Steve gives him a tight smile.

"You think you can find somewhere safe to put the kids until this is all over? Minva's already been through one war and Frelser's still so young...he shouldn't have to experience this. Besides that, I think things are going to start picking up from now on and you won't have time to even look in at them." Loki nods. He thinks of a good place to send his children. He doesn't want to traumatize them with a ride on the Bifrost. He remembers how it was for him as a child, then shakes his head.

He doesn't want to traumatize them with a ride on the Bifrost. He remembers how it was for him as a child. He goes through a short list in his head briefly, considers Charles Xavier. The man seemed nice enough at the party a couple weeks ago and he obviously handles children well, having a school full of them on a daily basis.

Ruminating on it, he shakes his head. It's not that he doesn't want to involve his parents, but they have their own problems as well. Asgard is still in its final stages of repair from Thanos' attack. The only viable solution is staring him right in the face.

He's going to have to send them off world.


	9. United Fronts

"You can be my...assistant," Tony tells Harley later that day. The boy's mother still isn't back yet and he's starting to get the feeling that this is a normal occurrence. He's not going to say she's a bad mother for leaving her 11-year-old son alone at 10 o'clock at night, because there are a lot more dangerous situations for the kid to be in. It's just weird and his fatherly instincts are probably kicking in.

He watches as Harley's eyes brighten considerably and the inventor fears that was the wrong choice of words for this particular boy.

"Like a mechanic?" Harley asks, sliding to the edge of his seat. When Tony gives him a small nod, he practically jumps out of his skin and down Tony's throat.

"Yeah, kid. Now calm down before you break something," he tells him. Bruce comes back with an armload of equipment. He sets it down on the floor, an amused smile playing on his face. Tony looks like he's regretting his decision already.

"You know...if I was building Iron Man and War Machine…" Tony gives him an amused look.

"Iron Patriot now," Tony tells him. Harley's eyes widened again.

"That is _way cooler_!" Harley insists. Tony scoffs. He's glad Rodney will never get the satisfaction of hearing that from his tiny assistant.

"No, it's not," Tony says, pouting a bit. He thinks his name choice was better and won't be satisfied until his voice is heard.

"Anyway, I would have given him the retro...retro…." He's trying hard to form the word correctly, but he just can't seem to get it to run off his tongue as smoothly as he'd like.

"Retro-reflective panels?" Tony supplies. Harley nods.

"For stealth mode," he continues. Tony considers it for a brief moment. It's actually a pretty good idea.

"If I had the materials, I'd do it right now for the Mark 42. But we don't really have the time. Maybe, when this is all over, I'll build one back at the tower. Hey, Bruce!" Tony calls. The scientist pokes his head out from under the desk. A bunch of wires dangle from his mouth and he's hung a tiny pair of pliers off the arm of his glasses.

"How are those wires looking?" the inventor asks. Bruce gives him a thumbs up and ducks back down. A few moments later, he comes out with them.

"These are all good to use. For now at least," Bruce says. Tony nods and takes them. He turns back to Harley.

"Isn't your mom back by now? I don't want her coming after me with a sharp weapon, thinking I've done something to her kid. I have a reputation to uphold and Tony Stark with a big red slash across the face for the rest of his life will be certain to put a pretty big blotch on it for a long time," he remarks. Harley shrugs and begins to play with one of the discarded wires.

"So Harley, where are your parents? I'm sure they're close by. You can't be more than ten or eleven," he says again. He's genuinely curious about that information since he doesn't want any trouble with the folks. Harley looks up at him and the look he has tugs at Tony's heart strings. It almost makes him want to adopt another kid.

"Well, my mom already left to go work at the diner and I haven't really seen my dad since he went to 7-Eleven to get scratchers. I guess he won, 'cause that was six years ago," he says. Tony grimaces. It kind of sucks, but he can't change anything without doing something major.

"Mm. Well, that happens, dads leave. No need to be such a pussy about it." This earns him another scolding look from Bruce. Tony ignores him. It feels good to use his regular language around an older kid. Harley is practically a preteen, so he's sure he's not too bad of an influence. Tony's sure he must experience a lot worse things in school.

An hour later, Harley is asleep on the sofa and Bruce takes that as a sign that he must corner Tony to get a word out of him. The inventor is a little uncomfortable that Bruce thinks he still has to hunt him down in a room no bigger than his living room at the tower, but he guesses it's necessary. He's been busy all day and having a kid around doesn't help things.

"So what are we going to do now?" Bruce asks him, looking at Harley. "He's just a little kid all alone here."

"He said his mom was coming back Bruce, so just relax. If you're that worried, then perhaps we can stay until she gets back. Until then, we've got work to do if we expect to find the Mandarin before his next attack. And to answer your question...well, _we_ ," Tony points to himself and Bruce, "are going off the grid until we can get this whole Mandarin thing sorted out. We can't stop—we won't stop—until the Mandarin is lying dead at my feet."

Bruce begins to rub his temples. He's spent six hours if his morning being eagle carried like a hobbit from the freaking _Lord of the Rings_ across six states. While completely naked, he might add. He really doesn't have the time or patience for Tony's ranting.

"Tony, please don't start with this again. We don't need to do anything other than what we're supposed to. We go in, find the Mandarin, turn him over and get out before we get back to headquarters and do what we can for the rest of the team while they take care of Ultron. That's it," he insists. Tony gives him a hard stare.

"Since when have you been so uptight about this?" Tony asks. A wave of frustration passes over Bruce and the scientist has to force the Hulk down from tearing Tony's head off. How can Tony still not see what kind of mess they're in? That they are the ones responsible?

"Well, gee. I don't know...since we built the world's first serial killer AI, Tony! I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Ultron can't be salvaged. If I could go back and undo what we did, I would."

As he says it, Bruce realizes he actually means it. Without Ultron's existence, they probably wouldn't even be in this situation. They could be in their homes, relaxing with their loved ones, drinking eggnog and eating gingerbread men. Opening gifts on Christmas morning. Of course, there would still be the problem of the Mandarin, but that's beside the point. He wishes they'd just given Thor the scepter right off the bat.

"Bruce, I know this is hard for you, but at least try to see the positive side of things. We were so _close_ ," Tony tries to reason. Bruce shakes his head. There's too much at stake to try and see reason now.

"Ultron is unstable and on a rampage against humankind. There is no positive side, Tony." The inventor sighs and sits down beside his friend. He places a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, what if I told you...I had a hit on the Mandarin?" he suggests instead. The scientist lifts his head. He hadn't been expecting that.

"How?" he demands. Tony simply shrugs. He'd gotten bored while waiting for the suit to charge and began doing some research on the broadcast signals for the Mandarin. It hadn't been that hard actually. In fact, he wonders how the government didn't think of it in the first place.

"I've been running scans on the Mandarin broadcasts," he says. "Apparently, the signal comes in from Miami, Florida. I also found out that there might be another broadcast tomorrow, so that's where we need to be by morning." Bruce nods.

"See, everything's going to be ok, Bruce. We're going to be ok," he assures the other man with a wide grin. "Now go wake up the kid. I've been thinking about some of the bombings and the fact that one that happened right here. I've got some questions that definitely need answers." Bruce nods and goes over to the couch where Harley is sleeping. He begins to shake him gently awake and the boy stretches out with a yawn.

"What time is it?" Harley asks in a sleepy voice. He rubs his eyes and sits up when Bruce prompts him to. He's still sleepy, but if waking up means he gets to have some more fun with Tony and Bruce, then so be it.

"It's a little after midnight, kid, so listen up. Tony wants to talk to you really quick before we head out. We may have a hit on the Mandarin and if we're lucky, we'll be done with him by tomorrow afternoon," he explains. A look of sadness crosses Harley's face.

"You're leaving me?" the boy says. Tony smiles at Harley's apprehension.

"Well, we've got to stop the Mandarin and we certainly can't do it from here. And we can't take you with us because it would be too dangerous. So you're going to stay here with the suit and take care of it, ok? You're going to update me on everything it does. Every tick and whistle. And when I need it, I'll let you know. So perk up. If this all works out, you'll be part of the team that saves the world from the Mandarin. An honorary Avenger of sorts." At the mention of becoming a symbolic Avenger, Harley perks up considerably. His slow nod turns into eager excitement.

"Oh...ok! What can I do?" the boy asks. Tony smiles at him and reaches over to ruffle his hair. The gesture is not appreciated and Harley pushes his hand away.

"Well, you can start by showing me that memorial you were talking about earlier. I think it'd be a great help in confirming my suspicions."

* * *

By the time Thor retires to his room, it's almost 6 am. He's beyond tired, having spent the day scouting for signs of Ultron in Russia. It's been about two months since the talk with his father about Thrym happened, and still, the king is having trouble getting regular meetings with the frost giant sovereign.

So far, there is no sign of the AI and it worries him greatly that his team faces an adversary that can survive without a body. Ultron could be anywhere right now. Maybe even watching their movements as they go about trying to bring him down.

Thor begins to take off his cape and armor when a dark shadow casts itself in the corner of his eye. He turns around, expecting to be attacked. It's only Loki though, rising from his seated position on the sofa. He gives Thor a tight-lipped smile and then looks away from his brother. Thor sees that Loki looks somewhat well rested but still tired. They all are.

"Loki, where have you been? I've been trying to talk to you all day," Thor says, taking a step toward his brother. Loki sighs and sits back down.

"How are mother and father? The children are still enjoying their visits, yes?" he asks. Thor nods.

"Mother and father are quite satisfied with the arrangement. But how are you? I know that not being able to see mother upsets you." Loki shakes his head slowly. He still doesn't understand how Thrym came to suspect him of sabotage, but he agreed to stay on Midgard for the sake of safety.

"I...I've just been feeling unwell lately," he admits to his brother. Thor's eyes widen and he leans forward.

"Loki, are you with child?" the god asks quietly in a voice full of worry. He doesn't really make it his business to look into the goings on of his brother's body, but maybe now is a good time to start. Loki raises an eyebrow, smiling ruefully. He shakes his head, laughing.

"No, but do not worry. That was my first thought, too. I just have this... _feeling_ ," Loki tells him. Thor frowns, not understanding what Loki could possibly mean. He says so and Loki rolls his eyes.

"Of course not. I wouldn't have expected you to. It's just a feeling with my magic. At first, I did consider the fact that I might be pregnant again. But this is different. Something I certainly do not care for," he says slowly. Thor sighs and places a hand on his shoulder.

"It's probably just stress, Loki. You should get some more sleep. We all should. As long as we keep searching for Ultron and we find him soon, we'll be fine. Until the next threat comes along, I guess." The thunder god laughs and places a hand on Loki's shoulder. Loki smirks and places his hand on top of Thor's.

"Alright, I will. But only if you do something for me first," he says. Thor nods and leans closer. "I wish for you to take Minva and Frelser to Asgard. I don't know how long they'll stay there, but it will be a long while," he explains. "Too much has happened for me to allow them to stay here in danger. Will you do that for me, Thor?" he asks. His brother nods and tightens his hold.

Loki relaxes into his touch and he can feel a bit of stress leave his body. It's always nice to have his older brother to comfort him, but the knots in his stomach are still as tightly twisted as before.

* * *

 _Boom...boom...BOOM!_

The sound of breaking glass and the acrid smell of bomb fumes sends the Avengers into action straight from their slumbers. The tower is under attack once again, but instead of robots, the threat comes from human men in masks.

Between the six of them, the battle is over rather quickly. Steve stands over the last man, ready to handcuff him to a table leg.

"Hail...Hydra," are his last words before he swallows a cyanide capsule. The captain frowns, the words bringing up past memories that echo darkly in the back of his mind.

With the battle finally over, there is a discussion to be had. In the Debriefing Room, Steve stands over two young S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are writing down what he says furiously. They look young enough to be the type of interns willing to do anything to please the bosses.

"Six Hydra agents swarmed us and we were completely unprepared today. I want you to check the security. How did they even get anywhere near the building so easily? Why weren't we alerted earlier? What happened to the defensive measures we put into place _months_ ago?" Steve goes on to list a bunch of other issues that must be fixed before sending the two young men off to report. He flips on the news and slips into a chair.

There's talk of the attack already spilling over into the news. There's also footage of a live car wreck involving an SUV whose model matches the make of a S.H.I.E.L.D. issued vehicle. He immediately recognizes that the car does indeed belong to their organization. He and Natasha exchange looks as they see a middle-aged African American man pulled from the wreckage. It's instantly clear who the man pulled from the wreckage is and both agents spring out of their seats.

* * *

While the rest of the Avengers debrief, the horrors are only piling up for Loki. His two adversaries are pitifully under matched against him, but he can't help but think their endgame isn't exactly with him. He slits a man's throat with one of his daggers and takes the other one down with a simple spell to freeze the blood.

Once he is certain there are no more enemies on his floor, the god rushes into Frelser's room where he finds Minva sobbing in the corner. He sees that the crib is completely smashed and the floor beside it is scorched to ash. The floors are covered in a thick coating of ice in spots and he almost slips as he walks toward his daughter.

"Minva, are you alright?" he asks in a worried voice. The girl is shaking and Loki can't tell if it's from fear or the temperature

Loki takes one look at the mess and feels his stomach clench painfully. Frelser is gone, stolen in the chaos of the battle and Minva clings to his side, trembling. He kneels down in front of her and grips her shoulders firmly.

"Minva, where is Frelser? I know you're scared, but please tell me because this is very important," he says to her. The girl wipes her eyes and leans against his shoulder.

"They _took him_ ," she whispers. Loki continues to hold her while she speaks. He strokes her hair when she begins to shiver again.

"Who took him, sweetie?" he questions. That feeling of _wrongness_ is back again, but it's settled in the lower part of his back now. He can feel it hovering just over his kidneys, waiting to strike.

"Blue...cold men. They were frost giants I think…they scared me," she finishes. Minva starts to cry again and Loki focuses on her for the moment. Panicking won't do either of them any good. The god hesitates for only a second before gripping the girl's arm and swinging her onto his hip. He carries her from the room and after he gets her settled to a state of calmness, he sends her to the lower floors to sleep.

A few hours later, Loki encounters Natasha in the Planning Room, where she is studying a topographic map. Her head lifts as he enters and she gives him a look of sympathy.

"Still no sign of Frelser?" she asks. Loki shakes his head. The infant wasn't in his room and he's already had the rest of the tower searched. The only viable choice left now is that he was taken by an enemy. He suspects that the attack earlier was just a distraction. His teammates tried to reason with him on where and how such a thing could have happened, but he knows better.

"I have reason to believe this entire situation was a trap," Loki says from his seat. "Frelser is gone. He was taken by whoever attacked the tower. Only they had help we didn't see. My guess is it was an associate of Thanos. More specifically, a creature named Islis."

"I thought that Minva said she saw Jotuns," the woman says. Loki nods and takes a seat in one of the swivel chairs at the table. She pauses for a moment, before looking up from her work. "I know that look, Loki and it's never a good sign. What are you thinking?" she asks him. The god shakes his head and begins picking at one of his nails. Another worrisome sign Natasha notices. Loki prides himself and his appearance almost obsessively.

"I'm going to Asgard. Thor is still out and I cannot wait for him to return. I know it is risky given the arrangement Odin has with the Jotun king, but I can't just sit here while my child has gone missing," he tells her. The spy nods as he rises from his seat. She's never had children and knows she will never be able to thanks to her training in Russia, but she's grown attached to Frelser as well.

"You're taking Minva, aren't you?" she says. Loki nods. He's sure that the arrangement had to come sometime with the increasing attacks that have plagued them for the past couple of weeks. Minva is an innocent child that he doesn't want to be harmed in the battles yet to come.

"I can't afford to put her in danger here. She'll be safer with my parents," Loki insists. The look he gives her almost pleads with her to not argue with him. She respects his wishes either way, knowing the decision had to be made sooner rather than later. Natasha only hopes that this doesn't make things worse for those living on this green and blue marble called Earth.

* * *

Peter Quill's one wish in life is to just be left alone. It's bad enough that he has the one and only Yondu Udonta riding his ass about past owed profits from the jobs they had together. He slips his mask on and proceeds to enter the cavern.

The guy who hired him to do this gig was paying him a shitload of money to get whatever ancient relic was locked inside and he's not about to pass up the opportunity to be the first to get his hands on it because that money could really set him for life.

Peter—or Star-Lord as he prefers to be called—squeezes through the tight opening, careful not to scratch his suit. It happens to be one of a kind. Once he's in, he immediately sees what he came for. The fact that the object is sitting right in the middle of the room is unsettling at first, but when his first few steps don't trigger any traps, he keeps going.

Soon enough he's standing right in front of the metal orb. He puts his mask up, studying it. He reaches out and gives it a tentative poke. When chunks of rock don't start falling on his head, he snatches the item up and stuffs it into his pack. All at once, men burst out of the walls. He curses and tries to make a run for it.

The men quickly surround him, however, and he looks around for a way to escape. The only way out is the way he came and at the moment, it's blocked. He sighs and begins to raise his hands above his head in surrender.

"Look, see what had _happened_ was…." His mask comes down again and he assumes a fighting stance. He begins to lash out randomly at the closest opponent. When no one makes a move toward him, he pauses and looks around. The circle parts and a white-haired man enters into the circle.

"You may relax, Star-Lord. I merely needed to ensure that our contract remained unbroken. You may have heard of my associate, Korath-Thak." He gestures to the dark skinned man standing beside him. "He allowed me the use of a few of his men so that I would not...get my hands dirty, I suppose you would say." The Collector steps forward and holds out his hand.

"Now, please. May I have the orb?" he asks. Peter frowns under his mask and looks down at his pack. Suddenly, all that money doesn't seem so tempting now. Whatever this guy wants this orb for must not be all that honorable, or he wouldn't have hired an illegal mercenary to find it.

"Say, uh…" he begins, placing a hand on the bag. "What's so special about this thing anyway?" he asks. He knows asking questions is probably going to get him killed, but he has a conscience to worry about. Being half human and all has its downsides sometimes.

The Collector smiles but does not indulge his curiosity. He simply folds his hands in front of him and watches him for a few moments. Peter shifts uncomfortably under his gaze, wondering what he did wrong. Idiot, he thinks to himself. He needs to learn to keep his mouth shut sometimes.

"Hey listen, I didn't mean any trouble. Curiosity killed the cat, right?" he says with a huff of laughter. The Collector and Korath exchange looks. The darker man grins widely. Peter swallows audibly, not liking the sudden change in the atmosphere.

"You know what? I'm just going to leave this thing right here and be on my way. You can forward my money to the address I already gave you. If you feel like it of course. No rush really. Not like I'm doing anything major anytime soon," he says, placing the orb on the ground and trying to slip past the rigid warriors. When none of the men move, Peter exhales sharply. He feels someone grab him from behind and his first instinct is to snap the wrist connected to the gripping hand into two. The warrior is flipped over his shoulder and onto the ground with backbreaking force. That's about the moment that all hell breaks loose.

As men begin to swarm him, Peter snatches up the orb. He's got a strong feeling that he's not going to be getting paid for this job, so he might as well get something for his time. He pulls out his gun and begins shooting anyone who advances on him. Three, six, seven men down in thirty seconds. But they just keep coming and he knows that they're going to overtake him in the end. There's just too many.

There's a huge crash and half of the left wall caves in. Balls of light arc into the air and explode, blinding them all. The sounds of screaming are suddenly all around him and he can't help but feel a little bad. It just seems like he causes destruction everywhere he goes. A sudden grip on his arm pulls him out of his thoughts. He stumbles blindly after whoever is leading him. Better them than what the Collector has planned.

It seems like an eternity before they stop running, but he's sure they're far away from Korath and his men by now. He begins to slow his pace. His rescuer must be thinking of the same thing because the grip lessens.

Peter stumbles out of the stranger's grip, landing hard on his knees. The person circles around him so that he's face to face with their knees. Slowly, his gaze travels up, and up and up until it reaches a rather nice set of breasts. Well, he thinks, looks like he's getting a reward after all. He might as well be rewarded for _something_.

"Are you staring at my breasts, or can your head go no further?" the voice above him demands. Peter lets his gaze go the rest of the way up and is met with a strikingly beautiful green-faced woman. He gives her his best smile and stands up, dusting himself off.

"Hey there. You were amazing back there by the way. But if I might ask, why were you hanging around in the middle of nowhere anyway? Surely a woman with your looks could find somewhere much nicer to be."

"My name is Gamora. What I am doing out here is none of your concern. You should be lucky that I even decided to help you, you pathetic excuse for a warrior. But then I realized who you had gotten into trouble with, and I thought to myself, 'now why would Korath take interest in a human male unless he at least had some sort of value?' So I took you," she tells him. Peter immediately deflates.

"So, you're going to try and sell me to the highest bidder?! You can't do that. I'm Star-Lord!" he insists. Gamora smiles knowingly.

" _Exactly_ ," she says, baring her teeth. Peter's mouth clamps shut at that. Apparently, he's just jumped out of the skillet and into the fire. But it's a nice fire, not quite unbearable yet. Maybe if he can get a few drinks into her, they can work out an arrangement that they can both accept.

"Hang on...why me?" he asks. Gamora shakes her head and waves a finger at him, pulling a mechanical contraption out of her satchel.

"That's my business. All you need to know is that I know a man more powerful than Korath and the Collector combined. His eye has fallen on you. It's my father who is interested in you, actually," she says. Peter gives her an odd look.

"You're not going to make me a slave, are you? Because if so, can I be like one of those really cool pleasure slaves I keep hearing about? I'd be totally cool with that." Gamora continues to ignore him as she works her device. "Wait, who's your dad exactly?" he asks. He wracks his brain to recall anything about the woman and her name. Nothing comes us. She smiles at him, satisfied with the results of her device's performance. Her answer freezes Peter in his spot, and he almost shits himself. _Almost_.

"I'm sure you've heard of my father. He goes by Thanos these days."


	10. Home Again

Asgard is just how Loki remembers it. Clean and golden with long corridors and shining floors. It almost makes him sad to know that Frelser cannot see any of it; he's just a baby after all. He glances down when Minva grabs his hand and tugs on it.

"Do you think Frelser is here?" Minva asks. It breaks Loki's heart to see the eagerness have to fade from her eyes, so he changes the subject instead.

"Well, Minva, perhaps Frelser isn't here, but he is somewhere else. I'm sure he is alright, though. Now, how about we find Odin and Frigga after you are settled in, hm? I'm sure that they will be overjoyed to see you this morning," he says as a guard approaches. He waves the man off, preferring to take the girl to his own chambers himself. It would be better that she was not alone.

Once the girl is safely situated in his bed with an armed guard of two men, he turns away reluctantly. He still doesn't feel sure about leaving her alone, but the approach of Heimdal distracts him from his apprehension momentarily.

"I informed the king of your arrival, just as you asked. He was not pleased, to say the least," the Guardian informs him. Loki nods, having expected Odin to be upset. He is breaking a very important treaty with him leaving Midgard after all.

"Not to worry, Gatekeeper. I will have words with my father before I leave," he promises. Heimdal gives him a pointed look that stops him in his tracks. He gets a fluttery feeling in his stomach because the other man has not looked at him in that way since he had been a mere boy. It reminds him of his adolescent crush on the Watcher, but he shakes it off.

"It would be best if you were to take another route to your parents' chambers. There are guests staying here that may see your presence and respond with ill will." Loki nods and follows the man's suggestion. He takes the servant's passageways just to be safe. Once he arrives, however, things once again become difficult for Loki.

"Loki, what is the meaning of this? Even though the details of the agreement are not yet finalized, King Thrym was explicitly clear that you were to remain on Midgard until you were otherwise informed," Odin chastises him.

"Well, it isn't finalized yet so you can relax, Allfather. Besides that, I took a few hidden pathways to get here. I'm sure Heimdal told you of that already." He hears Odin sigh tiredly and can't help but feel guilty. The king is so busy lately that burdening him with yet another problem feels wrong somehow. But then again, Frelser is his grandchild.

"Why are you here Loki? You put everyone in jeopardy if the Jotuns were to discover your presence. Two of their envoys have made accommodations here already while Thrym returns to his kingdom for negotiations with his own people." Odin tells his youngest son. Loki nods and takes a seat on one of the many chairs strewn about the royal chambers and takes a breath. Even after all they've been through, Loki still finds his father to be more than a little irritating at times.

"We were attacked by Jotun scouts yesterday morning," Loki blurts out. The shock on Odin's face isn't as satisfying as he thought it would be, so he feels even worse when he tells his father about Frelser.

"You believe Thrym to be responsible?" Odin asks. Loki nods and continues speaking, voicing his rather negative opinion on the matter of Thrym altogether.

"I believe he had no intention of signing a treaty with you. Perhaps he thought that since I was not going to violate your arrangement voluntarily, he had to force my hand in another way. Now he's brought Frelser into this. If he wanted me, then he should have said so. I also don't think any of this is about the throne he wishes to keep to himself." The king nods and grips his staff tightly.

"I will speak with Thrym. Perhaps there is reasonable—" Loki scoffs, rolling his eyes at Odin's naivete. A man like Thrym will never see the reason to changing his mind to another's point of view. He should know; they share the same blood.

"I know it is a bold move to make, but I plan to travel to Jotunheim tonight and investigate for myself if necessary. I just wanted to let you know of my intentions first. For now, Minva will be staying here with you and mother. Things are becoming much too dangerous for her to remain on Midgard with us," he insists. Odin can't really protest against that, now can he? Instead, he simply nods, seeing the level of determination in Loki's eyes.

"Alright, you may do as you wish. But give me a day to speak with Thrym. I am certain that he and I can negotiate something else before you go storming off to Jotunheim. We all know how things turned out the first time that happened," he tells his son. Loki nods, thinking the old man a fool. It's obvious that Thrym has betrayed Odin, but the king is so intent on upholding the law that he apparently doesn't want to see anything else but optimism. Luckily for him, Loki doesn't have that luxury and isn't restricted in his methods for discovering the truth.

* * *

The ride from the hospital is done in silence. A million things are racing through Steve's mind, but the most prominent thing on his mind is how did he not see this coming? His thoughts return to the flash drive hidden inside of the vending machine back at the hospital. He knows that Natasha is aware of its existence, but he isn't sure who to trust at the moment. Hydra has ears everywhere, Fury had warned him. Steve's hands tighten on the steering wheel as he passes by a street camera.

Before leaving the hospital, he had spoken with Fury privately using a secure room. The most disturbing thing that he had discovered, was that the man's shooter had a metal arm. It's an odd fact that jumps out at him because he remembers something in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files about a man like that. He shakes it off, chalking it up to just a severe nerves.

He was supposed to go back to the hospital in the morning and take Fury to a temporary safe house in the Catskill mountains. While at the hospital, he'd retrieve the flash drive and see what was on it to help Fury discover who was behind the attacks, because as of now, S.H.I.E.L.D. was no longer their safe place.

* * *

Loki knows better than anyone that venturing into Jotunheim uninvited is an automatic death sentence to anyone bold enough to attempt it. He decides that traveling into the foreign land in his Jotun skin is a bad idea. His attempt to blend in would most likely just be seen as a sign treachery. So he uses magic to bring forth his Asgardian form instead. Probably won't save him in the long run anyhow, but at least he'll be able to say he tried.

As to be expected, as soon as he sets foot on the frozen barren lands of the ice realm, he doesn't get very far before he sets off some sort of hidden alarm. He can feel the activation with his magic. He sighs and continues on toward the castle, which he sees has seen signs of repair under the reign of the new king. He has to admit that it doesn't look half bad.

By the time he makes it to the colonized parts of Jotunheim, almost an hour has passed and Loki is panting slightly from the exertion. He makes a vow that if he gets out of this situation alive, he'll exercise more.

King Thrym sits on his throne with a sour look on his face. Loki has to assume he's the cause of it and does his best to be respectful. The god bows deeply, keeping his gaze averted from the king's. He doesn't want a simple look to be interpreted as a challenge.

"Loki Nooneson...how befitting that you would find your way back to us...to your death," Thrym tells him with sick laughter. Loki ignores the jibe, thinking only of his son. He won't let the mad king sway him from what he's come to do.

"King Thrym, I came here today not to challenge you, but to seek council. It has come to my attention that a Jotun scout was seen upon Midgard two days ago. He was involved in an attack against my people and in the process, he stole something very important from me: my son. I want you to tell me where he is right now, or I will be forced to take action," Loki says as forcefully as he can manage.

Thrym's reaction to Loki isn't what the god had been expecting. The frost giant merely leans back in his seat, laughter rumbling in his chest. He apparently seems to be in a gaming mood, clearly enjoying Loki's distress. If it's some sick game that he wants to play, then Loki will have no part in it.

"Thrym, I swear that any animosity between us will stay between us. I've already given up my rights to Jotunheim. What more do you want from me? Just give me my son and I will leave," he demands.

"You foolish false-godling! I am a king, your king if you'd like to come to terms with the truth. So all things that are yours...are mine as well." Loki takes a deep breath to calm himself. He can't believe that this Jotun bastard thinks he has a right to his son.

"How dare you! I did as you asked, I gave up my claim to this land even though I had every right to it as Laufey's first-born. I secluded myself to Midgard, prepared to live the rest of my days there with my family and comrades. And then you do this. I can bring all of Helheim down on all of you!" he says. For a moment, he has to wrestle in his anger before he says something he cannot talk himself out of.

"You never wanted a treaty with Odin, did you? You were just trying to get to me. You were...you were trying to see how far you could push me. Well, it ends here, Thrym. I've put up with enough of your shit. You will take me to Frelser right now or I will—" Thrym sighs and raises himself from his throne. He smiles, having to speak over Loki when the god's voice rises to a higher level.

"He is still Jotun in his blood. And to tell you the truth, your whelp is no longer here. One of my sons has a friend— if you can even call it that. And his friend was very interested in that babe you birthed some time ago. So, we made a deal. In a couple days time, this friend of a friend will come to take your Frelser to do with as he pleases," he declares. This enrages Loki even further.

"You've sold him!" Loki demands. Before he can control himself, he makes a lunge at the king. A Jotun guard stops him with a simple flick of his arm that sends Loki sprawling into the cold ice. He feels a couple of his teeth loosen and then the taste of a metallic flow enters his mouth. He just can't even believe what he's hearing. It's impossible to believe, but even as Thrym continues to speak, he knows it can't be anything but true.

"No, I haven't traded him for anything. At least not yet. And if you try anything like that again, I may just stop talking and kill you instead." Thrym stares at Loki for a long moment, surveying the god that had come to him with such composure. It's comical, really. Extraordinary.

"What do you want?" Loki asks, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. He hates himself for begging, but he has no choice. Thrym senses it, though, and he uses it to his own advantage.

"I want what everyone else wants, little god. I know that you have an Infinity Stone in your possession. Bring it to me and you may see your child once again. These are the terms I was given, and so now I give them to you. You have until your second Midgardian nightfall to return here, and I will forget about this little trespass and breach of the treaty with Odin," he says in a pleasant tone of voice that does not match his words at all.

Thrym snaps his fingers twice and two guards come forward to herd Loki away from the group. He is essentially kicked out of the growing mass of Jotuns without so much as a square of cloth to clean the blood from his face.

Heathen bastards, he thinks. He doesn't know how he will break this to the team. He's a liability now, vulnerable in ways that the rest of the Avengers cannot afford during times like these.

* * *

Peter finds that he is not very happy with the seating arrangements. He offers to trade with Gamora, using his best charm, but it is apparent that not even he is a match for the green-skinned goddess. So he sits in the back of the ship, feeling like the Rosa Parks of the space world.

"So, does anyone want to play cards? I've got a clean deck. Fair warning, though. I only play for keeps so cough up your valuables because I'm—" Peter breaks off as the sharp smack from the space raccoon, Rocket, resounds throughout his skull. " Owww !" the man yells, holding his mouth and nose cupped in his hands.

"Shut the hell up!" Rocket yells into his face. Peter shrinks away from him and wedges himself into the corner, away from the mean animal-man. At least Gamora gives him a sympathetic look and hands him a cloth. Peter takes it and nods his thanks as he presses it to his nose. It immediately begins to turn red.

"Rocket, that was not nice," she says in an intimidating voice. Rocket gives her a look that says he really doesn't care what she thinks but after a couple seconds he sighs and apologizes to Peter.

"Oh well, thank you. I don't understand how that's going to stop me from bleeding all over the floor ...but thank you. For the sentiment!" the man responds irritably. Rocket looks like he wants to punch him again, but doesn't out of respect for Gamora. He does, however, give Peter a rather rude gesture with his hand (paw?) when the woman isn't looking. Peter makes a mental note that if he has to kill either of them, he's going to cook and eat Rocket just for his own personal fun. The sadist in him lets out a shrill cry in agreement.

"So just out of curiosity, would anyone like to tell me where we're going?" Peter asks. Gamora smiles at him, as though he is a fool for asking such a question.

"You know of the capital of the Nova Empire?" she asks him. Peter nods, vaguely remembering the place she was referring to. He thinks that the reason he left was because he might have left a few too many women unsatisfied in his youth. He's more than made up for it by now.

"I've been to Xander, yeah," he says. Gamora gives a satisfied nod.

"Hopefully, I will see my sister and we will converge upon an agreement that will satisfy us both. My father will be proud that we will have brought him a puzzle piece to the vast wealth that he will eventually claim. My father...he will admire me as much just as he admires her," she says; her voice becomes bittersweet. Peter and Rocket lock eyes for a moment, both thinking the same thing: bitches be crazy.

"Uh...Gamora? Can we at least talk about this?" Peter man asks. The green-skinned woman looks at him, raising a delicately arched brow. Peter clears his throat and sits up, trying to keep his nose from spurting out any more blood.

"Gamora, do you think that giving Thanos the very things that he'll eventually use to destroy the universe is the best idea?" he asks her. The woman looks at him with a very confused expression etched onto her face.

"He is my father. Without him, I would have died in my childhood. I owe him my life. How can I not do all that I can to further his success when it will undoubtedly lead to my own as well?" When she finishes speaking, Peter makes a gesture indicating that he's essentially been mind-blown.

"Well you're a better man than I...or woman, I meant to say," he says quickly. With that, the conversation ends and the three occupants of the aircraft spend the remainder of the trip in silence.

Next stop, Xander, Peter thinks.

* * *

"Loki, what happened in Jotunheim?" Natasha demands. Loki swallows thickly, trying to make his vocals work. He doesn't know what he's going to do now. The one Infinity Stone they did have in their possession was taken by Ultron, long gone by now.

Loki tells her about his encounter with Thrym and the time limit he's been given to find an Infinity Stone and give it to the Jotun king. Natasha is appalled by the fruitless results of his search. And then, Loki tells her that he has a feeling Thrugr's "friend" is closely connected with Thanos.

"Islis? Maybe we could talk to him. If we provide enough incentive, perhaps we could persuade him to join us." Loki scoffs loudly. The very idea is ludicrous and he will have no part in hearing it.

"Islis would never betray Thanos. He's too dependent on his master. Thanos provides him with his every desire, even if he is a servant. It would be in his best interest to remain where he is," he tells her. The spy nods and goes back to her report. The idea was just in the spur of the moment.

"How do you know it was him?" she asks. Loki sighs.

"A couple months ago, it was reported to Odin that a creature matching his description visited Jotunheim. It's not very far from Midgard, so he would have had more than enough time to lay low here. Also, Minva says she saw a Jotun. I believe her. There's no mistaking them for anyone or anything else. It would be very difficult to do since they're not exactly human." Loki's insistence holds fast and Natasha backs off. It just seems odd that the frost giants could be in and out of the tower so discreetly….

"Well, until we know for sure, we'll keep up the search, ok? We can't lose hope, Loki. That's the only thing we'll have in the end."


	11. Battlefronts Galore

**Author's Note:** So I just noticed that because I'm mixing so many movies, I have to move a lot of things around and omit some things as well. So to make sure everything runs smoothly, I may focus on some characters more for a couple of chapters.

* * *

Bruce stands idly by as Tony recovers from his panic attack. The inventor insists that he's fine, but it's difficult to be so sure from the way his face is turning blue.

"Are you ok?" Harley asks from where he's positioned in front of the explosion site. The shadows stretch out ominously behind his head, like lost souls reaching up from the earth to claim another victim for their own devices. When Tony doesn't answer, the boy looks to Bruce who now is wearing a thick wool coat. It happened to be one that Harley's father left behind, but is suits him rather nicely. "He has PTSD, doesn't he?" Harley whispers to Bruce. The scientist simply sighs and shakes his head. Sometimes, he never really knows what's wrong with his friend.

"Tony, will you get out of the snow? You'll freeze," he says. The inventor takes one more deep breath to steady himself before he begins to move again. Hearing Harley bring up his experience with the portal in such vivid detail really set him off. He doesn't like thinking about what happened.

"Ok, so now that you've seen me cry, are there any more requests? Like maybe I can dance around in my underwear if you want," the inventor says irritably. Bruce places a hand on his shoulder, but Tony shakes him off. "Never mind. Let's just...I need names. There were supposedly six deaths on the day of the blast, but guess what? Only five shadows. What's the name of the guy that set the bomb?" he asks.

"His name was Chad Davis. But everyone said these shadows are like the mark of souls gone to Heaven. Except the bomb guy, he must have gone to Hell because he didn't get a shadow. That's why there's only five." Tony rolls his eyes.

"That's a load of bull, and I'm pretty sure you know that, don't you buddy?" Harley looks up at him with a sad look until Bruce puts an arm over his shoulder. "Did Chad have relatives?" Tony asks in a gentler tone. The kid nods and tells them that he had a mother; Mrs. Davis.

"You know where she usually goes? I'd like to speak with her as soon as possible." Harley gives a noncommittal shrug.

"Well, people say she has a problem with alcohol so I think she'd be at the bar right about now. At least that's what my mom says," Harley tells them. Tony nods and brushes a few more flakes of snow off his jacket. Looks like he and Bruce are going bar-hopping.

* * *

The night isn't as cold as the one before, but the temperature is still low enough for Tony to see his breath on the air. Bruce walks beside him, hands stuffed into his pockets. The plan is for Tony to go and talk to Mrs. Davis, while Bruce waits for the meeting to conclude on the other side of the bar. Two rough looking men approaching a lonely woman in a bar are not apt look well in the eyes of the law.

It's warm where Tony chooses to sit and he can't help but think that Bruce got the short end of the stick. The heater is broken at the other end, apparently from a past bar fight and doesn't look like it will be repaired any time soon.

The woman to his left doesn't look up from her drink. She just grips it loosely, staring at the table that's certainly seen better days.

"Hello, Mrs. Davis. Mind if I sit here?" Tony asks her. The woman gives him a distrustful glare, shielding the yellow envelope under her elbow from his gaze. Tony contemplates ordering a scotch, but thinks better of it. He orders a club soda instead.

"Free country," she mumbles in slurred words. Her nails scratch nervously at the table, the new indentations not doing it any favors whatsoever. " 'Sides, you already sat down," she says as an afterthought. Tony nods and thanks the bartender when his drink comes.

"Yeah, sure did." He takes a sip and finds it delightfully cold. Somehow, having a cold drink in cold weather isn't all that bad. Mrs. Davis lifts her head for the first time since their encounter to look at him. She stares just a little too long for his liking but what the hell.

To distract himself from his discomfort, he takes a quick look around. He catches a woman staring at him and waves politely. Half her face is burned, but it doesn't distract from her beauty underneath at all. When she continues to stare, he lets his gaze fall away. Why are the pretty ones always crazy? he thinks.

"Where'd you wanna start, buddy?" Mrs. Davis asks him. Tony pauses for a moment, trying to think of a proper place.

"First of all, I'd like to just say I'm sorry for your loss. Not sure that helps, but I've got kids. I just want to know what you think happened, though." The woman squints at him for a few seconds, before giving a small nod. Her hand peels itself from the glass she's holding and she slides the envelope across to him.

"Look, I brought the file. I don't want no pity from you. _Especially_ you. I know who you are, so don't act like I'm stupid. Just take it and go. Whatever was in here, my son wanted no part in it," she tells him. Tony grimaces, but he takes the file anyway. He opens it and slides out a pale manila folder.

"You weren't waiting for someone else, were you?" he asks her as he flips through the papers inside. The woman pauses for a moment as she considers whether or not to answer him.

"Yeah, so what?" she says. Tony frowns, seeing the photos of Jack Taggart and Chad Davis side by side. He sighs, letting the folder fall closed with a light _slap_.

"Mrs. Davis, I can assure you that your son didn't kill himself, or anyone else. Someone used him," he tells her. Mrs. Davis' mouth falls open. "As a weapon," he finishes.

"You're not the one who called me, then. Are you?" she asks. Tony gives her a curious look, before shaking his head. He begins to tell her that it was his friend Bruce, but someone reaches between them and slams a cellphone on the table. Tony glances up and sees it's the woman from across the bar.

"No, _I_ did," she says. Tony raises both eyebrows as he takes a closer look at her. She's not all that bad looking up close either. He looks down, seeing her dropped wallet. He bends down to pick it up. That's when he notices the gun at her hip.

"Thank you," she says as he hands it back to her.

"That's a nice haircut. It suits you," he tells her. The woman takes a look at his watch.

"Nice watch," she replies in a toneless voice. Tony pushes back his sleeve, showing off his rather unusual fashion piece.

"Well, it's limited edition, so it's kinda valuable." The woman smirks.

"I don't doubt it," she tells him. Tony nods and spins around in his chair.

"Alright, not that the small talk is over, tell me what you want, 'cause I'm sure someone who packs that kind of heat isn't just looking for compliments." Beside him, Mrs. Davis tries to stand, but the woman's hand goes to her gun.

"Actually, I'm just here for one thing," Ellen Brandt tells him. Tony has a pretty good idea about what's she's talking about. When Brandt grips the back of his hair, he feels he kind of walked into this one. She slams his head into the table and he feels his nose break. Blood begins gushing a second later. The sudden attack attracts Bruce's attention and he stands up, ready to advance.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" the sheriff yells. Brandt removes a badge from her pocket, claiming to be from Homeland Security. The sheriff doesn't believe her, which only seems to agitate her even more. Tony watches as the hand holding the badge begins to heat up.

"I think you're overstepping your jurisdiction, _sheriff_ ," she says. The man backs up a few paces when the glow begins to spread to her face. But it's too late.

In a matter of seconds, Brandt has pressed the molten metal to his face and he lies writhing on the ground. Tony sees that as a sign that he needs to get the hell out of there promptly, and grabs the file. Bruce comes up behind her and tears the woman's hand away from the other man's face.

"I think you're done here, miss," he tells her. Brandt laughs as she begins to wrestle herself out of his grasp. When the woman begins to heat up, Bruce has no idea what to do, except let her go before he gets burned. She begins glowing brighter and tries to punch him in the face. He dodges out of the way and Tony manages to kick her legs out from under her.

Bruce looks around at the cowering people, realizing that they need to get them out of here. Or at least take the fight outside. He catches Tony's eye and the man nods in agreement. Together, they drag the woman kicking and screaming to the outdoors and toss her into the snow. Her skin begins to hiss when it makes contact with the snow.

"You like that hot wings?" Tony asks. When she begins to heat up again, he throws more snow on top of her. Tony's never hit a woman in his life, but right about now, this one is biologically enhanced and trying to kill him, so he doesn't think too hard about it. Searing blood splatters against the ground and as they watch, Brandt's wounds begin to heal.

"That's all you got? I'm sorry to say I'm disappointed in the great Ironman." Down the street, a man approaches them. He begins to glow with the same aura as Brandt. Definitely not a good sign. Double the trouble, Tony thinks.

"Uh-oh. Trouble at four o'clock," Bruce tells him. Tony groans, thinking now is the time he'd like to have his suit.

"How about you take that one, and I'll stay here with her. Looks like she's tiring anyway." Bruce runs off to confront the newcomer. Tony turns back to Brant who's powering up again. "Alright, it's just you and me, baby." The woman merely smiles at him and beckons him forward. Down the street, two gunshots are fired. Then, the Hulk roars. Tony thinks Bruce will be absolutely fine. He on the other hand...not so sure. He sees the store behind him is empty and dives into it just as a fireball comes hurtling at his head. He runs to the back, where he finds a stove. As to be expected, Brandt follows him in.

"Hey, I bet no matter how hot you get, you'll never be able to light this. But I bet you I can." Tony rips the gas cable out of the back of the stove and takes Chad Davis' dog tags out of his pocket. He throws them into the microwave and sits it on high. Brandt laughs when nothing happens.

"Looks like you're all talk, Stark. I've dated guys with better lines than that," she tells him. Tony snorts. I doubt it, he thinks. When the microwave begins to make funny sounds, he dives for the door.

"Have fun in your fucking element, hot stuff!" Tony slams the door behind him, hearing Brandt scream in frustration. He jumps into the snow just as the building explodes. That is the end of Ellen Brandt. Another Hulk roar spurs him into action and Tony runs around the front of the burning shop, gasping for fresh air. He makes it back just in time to see Hulk turning back to Bruce, with little bits of Eric Savin scattered about on the ground and in his hair.

Once again naked, Bruce wraps his arms around himself as he sits in the snow. Tony decides the only decent thing he can do is to give him his jacket.

"You know, one would think that you enjoy being naked in front of me. I think you're misunderstanding the meaning of the term 'science bros'." Bruce looks at Tony, beginning to laugh.

"You can't ever just stay out of trouble, can you?" Bruce asks him. Tony chuckles and pats the other man on the shoulder.

"It seems that Trouble can never stay out of me, my good friend. I'm just that irresistible."


	12. Hunting

On a private airline flying at about 70,000 feet, the President and Vice President of the United States receives a message from the Mandarin. The analyst to the Vice President pulls up a screen showing a tanned and bearded man in dark robes. He has a very serious face and the analyst has no doubt that he means business.

"Mister Vice President, I think you should see this," he says to the room outside of the door. The back of the plane where the president sits is closed off from them, for which he thinks is best for the situation. Vice President Rodriguez comes into the room and shuts the door behind him just as the man on the television begins to speak.

"Mister President, only two lessons remain and I intend to finish them before Christmas morning. But first, I would like you to meet Thomas Richards." The camera pans out to show a bound and gagged man lying on his side at the Mandarin's feet. When he sees himself on the screen, he begins to pull against his bindings.

The Mandarin chuckles darkly, lifting his head to look at the camera again. "Now Thomas here is an accountant for the Roxxon Oil Corporation. He's a good guy, I'm sure. But…" the Mandarin trails off, letting his tongue click against the roof of his mouth. "I'm going to shoot him in the head on live television, Mister President. That's what's going to happen in the next thirty seconds if I do not receive a call from you. My number is in your phone. No need to worry about how it got there. Time is wasting, Mr. President. The clock starts...now."

Back on the ground at the Air Force One building, the president is wondering how the hell the Mandarin managed to hack his phone. One of his aides leans down to whisper advice into his ear.

"Sir, we cannot allow terrorists to dictate…" President Ellis waves him away.

"I have to make this call." The aide's response strongly advises against it. "This is the right thing to do," he says, sending the call and raising the phone to his ear.

On the other end of the line, the Mandarin's green telephone begins to ring. The Mandarin glances at it and makes as if he is going to get up. He takes a gun from the inside of his robe and sends a single bullet into Thomas Richards' skull.

"I hope you enjoyed my lesson, Mister President. Only one left now, but don't worry. It'll come soon enough. So you can run and hide; you'd better kiss those children of yours goodbye. Because there is nothing that can save you. Not your red, white and blue attack dogs. Not even your armies. _Nothing_ can save you from me. I'm coming, so you had best learn those lessons and _quickly_ , because I'm a hard professor." The screen goes blank then and President Ellis swallows dryly.

"Someone get Rhodes on the phone. I want him to hunt down this lunatic before he can cause any more damage."

* * *

The road flies by mile after mile, and after a while, Tony can almost feel like he doesn't have a care in the world. That is until he gets a mirror full of Bruce's ass in his line of sight.

He and Bruce have "borrowed" a car for the time being. It quite conveniently still had its keys tucked into the visor, so technically it wasn't _stealing_. It was a rather nice one, too. A navy blue Audi R8. He thinks he has one back at the penth...right. _Had one_. He sighs and tightens his hands on the steering wheel. Bruce is in the back seat, pulling on clothes from a suitcase he had found in the trunk. Tony's glad because he no longer has to stare at the man's naked ass now.

After taking a closer look at the folder from Mrs. Davis, he realizes that the MIA is actually AIM; he had just been looking at it backwards. This makes him think of James Rhodes and he decides to give the man a call.

Fortunately for Rhodes, he isn't in a dangerous situation at all. Instead of finding the Mandarin holed up in his secret lair, he found an underground sweatshop full of Pakistani women who were in the process of making the next season's _Gucci_ brand or something like it. The lead from Air Force One had proven to be a dead end, so he has time for chitchat.

"Hello?" he says into his earpiece. For a moment, there's static on the line and he's just about to hang up when he hears a voice on the other end.

"Have you ever had the experience of being straddled by a woman glowing kind of orangish from the inside out?" Rhodes frowns.

"...yeah? You mind telling me who this is?" he says. There's a huff of laughter on the other end. Rodney waits calmly for a response.

"It's me, pal. Now the last time I went missing, if I remember correctly, you came looking for me, so what are you doing?" Rodney sighs heavily. He should have known better.

"Well you know, a little knockin', talking, making friends in Pakistan. What about you?"

"Oh nothing I can say over the phone. But let's talk about your re-design. Your big re-brand, that was apart of AIM, right?" Rodney replies in the affirmative. He doesn't see the relevance of the question, but Tony has already moved on with his conversation.

"I'm gonna find a heavy-duty comsat right now, I need your login. _Pleeeease_." The inventor's voice raises a few octaves at the end and Rodney almost pulls his helmet off from the sound of it.

"It's the same as it's always been, War Machine 68." Tony lets out a little snicker of laughter, storing the information away in his head.

"And password please?" When Rodney gives it to him, the inventor bursts out laughing. Behind him in the back seat, Bruce pulls on a leather jacket to complete his burrowed look. He fears that Tony's influence has distorted his sense of right and wrong, but it is a rather nice jacket. He feels even worse when Tony gives him a thumbs up.

"Alright buddy, I'll see you later. Take care," Tony says as he hangs up the phone. He shifts gears and takes a left on an exit ramp, intent on reaching their destination before nightfall.

"So what's the news?" Bruce asks as he slips up into the front seat again. Tony smirks, shaking his head.

"Well, first I need to find a computer to hack into this AIM project. If I can just figure out what they were doing and how they were connected with the bombs, then maybe we can get somewhere." Bruce nods.

"How about over there?" he says, pointing to a news van. Tony grins and parks the car in a shaded area. He and Bruce sneak into the van where Tony begins to work his magic. When he finds what he's been looking for, everything clicks into place. They've hit the jackpot this time.

* * *

The city of Xander is quite beautiful, but even more so on a day like this. Without a cloud in the sky, there is nothing to take away from the clear day. For Peter Quill, this is one of the worst days of his life.

"You know, these cuffs are kinda tight, so would you mind loosening them a bit? I'd be entirely grateful for it if you did," Peter says, grumpily twisting his wrists in their bindings. Rocket looks to Gamora, who ignores them both as she scopes out the surrounding area.

The part of the bridge they've chosen to meet their esteemed delegate on is extremely populated and she doesn't want to miss her sister's entrance. Not for a second. Even if they were raised by the same father, she didn't trust the other woman in the slightest. She's certain the feeling is mutual.

Several more minutes pass without any activity and Gamora begins to worry. Perhaps Nebula has changed her mind. Or worse, she thinks. Perhaps they've been set up to be robbed so Nebula can take the credit of finding the orb for herself. As the thoughts begin to swim in her mind, she becomes more and more certain of her sister's betrayal. Just as Gamora is about to call everything off, she sees a shadow approach them at a quick pace.

"You are _late_. Where have you been?" Gamora demands. Nebula frowns at her, glancing quickly over her shoulder.

"Not here," she says, walking past the trio. Gamora eyes her carefully but silently motions for the others to follow. She remains a carefully calculated distance behind, ready to spring into the action at the slightest moment's notice. Nebula leads them to an abandoned building, out of sight from the public eye.

"What are you doing, sister?" Gamora demands. Nebula smiles, shrugging off her cloak.

"I was followed for a time. But I am certain I lost the assailant before now. He was not very stealthy in his movements and was obviously not very skilled." The blue woman tosses the garment aside, smoothing her leather body suit against her skin.

"Well that doesn't make me any happier knowing _that_ ," Gamora hisses. Now she's on edge. If whoever was following Nebula still is, then she doesn't want them to see her. Her identity in this project of Ronan's and her father's is hidden even to the most influential of officials.

Nebula turns to face them but hesitates, glancing at Rocket and Peter. She gives the both of them a wary look before looking to her sister. A silent communication passes between them, but whatever it is opens Nebula up to speaking comfortably in front of the two males.

"I made a journey to Midgard a while ago," she admits after a long pause. "I was looking for another Infinity Stone. Apparently, father lent one of them out to that Asgardian Jontar _bitch_. I _told_ him not to agree to Loki's plans. I _told_ him—"

"Hush! Be careful sister, before father hears you speak of him in that fashion. He might just cut out your blasphemous tongue for thinking you have sway over his mind. Now continue, but keep your tone civil. I am not entirely sure we are among allies," she says, her eyes darting quickly about. At that, Rocket bristles, baring his little pointy teeth.

"Hey, after all I've done for you! I should be _charging you_ for my services you know. But I'm doing this out of favor for your dad. He said he'd help me too you know." Gamora hisses at him, and Rocket shrinks away from her.

"Until you have proven yourself, you will remain an enemy. Be glad I have not abandoned you yet after you lied to me on the Halfworld." After her tirade is over, she turns back to her sister expectantly and Nebula doesn't disappoint.

"I discovered that not only did Loki lose the scepter _twice_ , but he now has joined forces with the Avengers against Father," she says. Gamora snorts. That little tidbit of information had already become known a while ago. Apparently her sister's foray into the mortal world had not been as fruitful as she had assumed. Gamora tells her this unhappily, thinking of how much of her time is being wasted.

"But did you know that the humans have been using the Space Stone for their own technological purposes? I don't think father would be too pleased to learn that they're trying to create a weapon to _kill him_. But I suppose you didn't think about that in your quest to out do me, now did you sister?" Nebula says with a smile and an odd look. Gamora smiles back, shaking her head in annoyance.

"I know that look, Nebula. Tell me. What have you done, sister?" she demands softly. The command is there, lingering just under the surface of the question. Nebula turns away from the other woman, smirking slightly.

"It was on father's orders that I managed the return of the Chitauri scepter to Loki. Now, I plan to meet with that treacherous bastard and carve out his heart myself," she snarls. Gamora frowns, approaching her cautiously. The woman is clearly out of her mind.

"Loki has already been decided upon. He is _father's_ problem to deal with. After all, we already know where he is. All we have to do—all we were _assigned to do_ —was the cleanup. _Afterward_. Until then, you are to keep track of him and maintain communications between you and father. He is already angry about your unexpected disappearance this week. You're lucky he didn't send Ronan after you," she says.

Nebula hisses with disgust at her. She can't believe how quickly her sister is to side with Ronan of all people.

"You dare to speak to me about Ronan the Accuser? Bah! Curse him and his atrocities! That piece of Kree _shit_ is going to betray father one day," she spits viciously. Gamora gasps dramatically and one would think that the reaction was a forced one if not for the coloring that begins to stain her cheeks and neck.

"Ronan has shown absolute devotion to father. How dare you speak of him that way! How dare you say any of this. I don't know what happened over on the human world, but you had better get it out of your system now before we set to rejoin the others," Gamora warns her sister. At this rate, she has doubts if Nebula will reign in her temper.

But then the blue woman smiles and begins to laugh. Her back arches at an almost painful angle and her neck cranes back, giving her a crazed look.

"He'll betray all of us. Mark my words sister. But even I see that you can't even see it. You don't, do you? No I suppose not when all you care about is having Ronan bed you and him choosing you to be his queen!"

Before Gamora can stop herself, the flat of her hand is swinging toward her sister's face. She sees it, but does nothing to stop it because she doesn't _want to_. The slap reverberates across the room like a clap of thunder. Slowly, Nebula touches her cheek and pulls it away. She lets out a satisfied sound when her hand comes away bare.

"I see I've struck a nerve. My apologies, sister. I think I have more pressing matters to tend to though. Perhaps you should go along ahead and I'll catch up. Tell father that I will have information regarding the location of another Stone in the morning."

As Nebula makes her departure, she can practically feel the anger rolling off her sister. As Nebula passes by her, they lock eyes for the briefest of moments and Gamora knows that this fight isn't over.


End file.
